A FATHER and son have been jailed for perverting the course of justice after launching a hate campaign against their neighbours.

Darren Boyle, 32, and his father, John Boyle, 57, were jailed for eight months and four months respectively after a year-long campaign to land their neighbours in Danbury Way, Woodford Bridge, in trouble with the law.

They claimed their neighbours physically assaulted Darren's mother and that they used homophobic language towards him on three occasions.

The Boyles' actions saw their neighbours interviewed under police caution but all their allegations proved to be completely false following an investigation by the Bridge Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

The persecution was so intense that their victims subsequently moved away from the area in order to escape.

It lasted from April 2007 until February 2008 and the Boyles were finally sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on February 22.

A police spokeswoman said: “This marked the end of a long and difficult investigation conducted by the Bridge Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

“The investigation began in 2008 when Darren Boyle's neighbour made a complaint to the police about being subjected to a campaign of false criminal allegations.”

Acting Sergeant Declan Maloney added: “I can only imagine how it must have felt to be subjected to such serious criminal allegations.

“The victims have had to move away from their family home and friends in order to be able to get on with their lives.

“As a result, Woodford has lost two valued members of the community.”