An elderly landlady faced her former tenant, who stands accused of harassing her, at a court hearing.

Janet D'Sa, of Lakehall Road, Thornton Heath, denies harassing Sheila Read at her home, in Worcester Road, Cheam, while she lived there as a tenant from January to August this year.

Giving evidence at Sutton Magistrates' Court, 78-year-old Mrs Read, who lives on the first floor of the same house, described the moment she came to regret letting her flat to D'Sa after meeting her at an exercise class in December 2003.

The court heard how within weeks of Mrs Read allowing D'Sa to move into a self-contained flat on the ground floor of her house, she received the first of a stream of letters containing, "unpleasant and disturbing" allegations about her and her family.

Carmel Lewis, prosecuting, said the letters, which were sent to Mrs Read over a four-month period, formed the basis of evidence used to bring harassment charges against D'Sa.

The court was told how Mrs Read became the subject of harassment in February after another female tenant, who had rented a second flat on the ground floor since 2001, moved out of the house overnight.

D'Sa, who is due to return to court this week, was bailed by magistrates to reside at her address in Thornton Heath, not to have contact with Mrs Read or her daughter and not to enter Worcester Road.

The trial continues.