"Sick taunts, attacks, making my life hell"

Charlie Joyce . . . "it is disgusting that these people seem to think they can do what they want"

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SMASHED windows and graffiti-daubed walls are examples of the torrent of abuse a man is suffering after being wrongly accused of being a paedophile.

Charlie Joyce (30), who is not under investigation, has seen his windows continuously smashed by bricks and the side of his home on St Stephen's Street, Higginshaw, spray-painted with the words "paedophile" and "grass" in recent months.

He said that since he moved into the house in 2015 he has had nothing but abuse and believes the vandalism stems from children in the area telling their parents he is a paedophile and believes he is being targeted because he is gay.

When he repairs the windows they are smashed again, leading him to board them up.

A brick through the window could also have dire consequences if it were to hit Charlie, as he has epilepsy. As well as physical abuse Charlie said he was accused of sending threatening messages to people, which he denied and allowed police to review his tablet . . . the same day his windows were put through and his house sprayed.

The abuse has escalated to the point where his friends and family will no longer visit him at home and Charlie has been left frustrated by a perceived lack of action from police who he says have told him they don't have enough evidence to act.

He said: "I have lived in this property since 2015. I have had nothing but abuse and they have smashed all my windows, they have put graffiti on the side of my house . . . they even threw something that was on fire at the house the other day.

"These people need to be outed, these people need to know that what they are doing is primary school behaviour. Just because I am gay doesn't mean I am a paedophile.

"My friends won't come to the house and neither will my family. I am having to spend hundreds and hundreds of pounds on CCTV. At the end of the day it is disgusting that these people seem to think they can do what they want.

"This is criminal damage, the bricks that are coming through the window are huge."

He said: "It has come from some kids who have gone and told their parents. All this is causing all of my family distress. I can't have a social life, I can't have my family round, I have to travel miles to go see them.

"I go to the shop and I get abused by the kids and the parents. It is getting worse.

"Apparently when I go to the shop I intimidate people. Even when I pull a blind up in my home I am intimidating people.

"I can't do anything because they think I am doing something.

"I am sick and tired of living like this."

Referring to an incident in which bricks were thrown through Charlie's window, a police spokesperson said: "Police were called to reports that a brick was thrown at a window, causing it to smash two panes of glass.

"Officers are treating this as a criminal damage incident and are encouraging anyone who has information about the incident or any crime in their area to get in contact.

"Information will be dealt with in the strictest of confidence and can be passed to police anonymously by calling the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111."