A FATHER and son from Dymock have made serious allegations of misconduct and discrimination against the Gloucestershire Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and housing provider Guinness Partnership following a long-running dispute with their neighbours.

Mr Scott Pearson and his father, Mr Steve Pearson, claim that their attempts to address persistent anti-social behaviour were mishandled by both organisations, leaving them feeling unsupported and subjected to distress.

Central to their claims is a community trigger meeting which they allege was "stolen" from them by a senior police commission official.

According to the Pearsons, the official handed control of the meeting to their neighbours, allowing them to present their side of the case, rather than allowing the Pearsons to share their own concerns.

The Pearsons also accuse the same official of visiting Mrs Hett’s home on July 18, 2024, creating a conflict of interest that further complicated the situation. They say that despite submitting months of evidence to the police, they were treated as suspects rather than victims.

In addition, they allege that their disabilities—Mr Scott Pearson’s partial blindness and Mr Steve Pearson’s mobility issues—were overlooked during the investigation, exacerbating their feelings of isolation.

The Pearsons also claim that Guinness Partnership, which manages their property, failed to address their repeated complaints about the neighbours' behaviour.

They allege that one staff member sided with the neighbours, worsening the situation. A key point of contention is a meeting held on August 19, 2024, at Dymock Parish Hall, which the Pearsons say they were not invited to attend, despite their ongoing complaints.

Additionally, the Pearsons accuse the official of pressuring them into signing an Acceptable Behaviour Contract, using a forged police signature.

They are now calling on crime commissioner Mr Chris Nelson to publicly acknowledge the alleged mishandling of their case and issue a formal apology.

They are also seeking compensation for emotional distress, psychological harm, and disability discrimination, and have provided evidence including CCTV footage, emails, and medical letters to support their claims.

In response, a spokesperson for Guinness Partnership said that an internal investigation found no failure in how their reports were handled, including cooperation with the police and Environmental Health.

However, they acknowledged delays in the process and issued an apology, offering compensation for these delays. The spokesperson also stated that discussions with the Pearsons’ neighbours are ongoing, including future meetings with Environmental Health.

The police commission has confirmed that they are aware of the allegations and have completed an investigation into the initial complaint. The Pearsons rejected the findings and requested an escalation of the review process.

Communications & engagement officer Ms Emma Hillary explained that the Chief Executive reached out to the Pearsons to clarify the focus of the review, but the Pearsons requested that Mr Nelson handle the matter directly.

Ms Hillary also clarified that the official involved resigned under the recent Mutually Agreed Resignation scheme, rather than being removed from her role.

The crime commission is now considering how to proceed with the case.