Our Weird Neighbor Installed a Mannequin to Stare into Our Bedroom
All of us probably have weird neighbor stories, but Rosie and Christopher Taylor-Davies’ tale may take the cake. They were forced to live in darkness with their curtains drawn after their neighbor, Simon Cook installed a mannequin to stare into their bedroom from his loft window.
Cook did not use frosted glass for his window and put a blonde wig on the mannequin “to add insult to injury” (this according to the Taylor-Davies).
The couple felt as if someone was always watching them.
They resorted to getting dressed behind a bookcase, the only place they could safely go and be out of view of the window. They also had to live in darkness with the curtains closed.
The couple took their case to the High Court, but they did not win the legal battle.
Must Read: Our Weird Neighbor Installed a Mannequin
The judge took their claims seriously, but ruled that Cook did not break any planning rules by installing an openable window with clear glass.
The court found he had applied for planning permission as part of the extensive work he ordered for his $2 million South London home.
The plans included a roof extension with dormer windows on both sides and the back, a feature the Taylor-Davies called an invasion of their privacy.
In Feb. 2020, the council granted Cook permission for his construction but ordered that the dormer windows should have obscured glass and be non-opening.
Officers later waived those rules since the window faced the sky and would have less impact on neighbors.
Cook’s window is slightly higher than the Taylor-Davies bedroom window and provides a perfect view into their top floor.
He has made matters worse by installing a blonde mannequin that peers out onto their property.
The couple states that there is no reason why Cook should need the window to be clear and unopenable.
Although the couple did not win the case, Cook, a father of three, has since removed the mannequin.
However, the Taylor-Davies, who lived in their home for 27 years and raised a family there, are still considering moving because of the tensions the mannequin has caused.
We wish them the best of luck in finding better neighbors!
