Couple fined $500,000 after trying to get neighbor declared insane in fight over 12" strip of land

A couple in England waged a "troubling and sinister" five-year campaign against a neighbor, reports the Express newspaper—all over a tiny 12-inch path by their properties in a delightful Kent village.

Banker Peter Bayliss and wife Kim even tried to get Sarah Saxton committed to hospital under Britain's mental health laws, after the elderly woman refused to let them extend their yard into the shared right-of-way. In one incident, Saxton was "violently grabbed and shaken by her neighbour" when she attempted to use it herself.

The Baylisses now face fines and costs of £338,000 (almost $500,000) imposed by a judge, who lamented the "sheer awfulness" of their conduct.