EXCLUSIVE The terrifying ordeal of a young family as doorbell footage shows a sword-wielding neighbor trying to break into his home
- Footage obtained by MailOnline shows Firas El Hejjaji, 29, attacking a house
A young family was shocked when their doorbell caught their irate neighbor brandishing a three-foot sword and trying to force his way into their home.
In terrifying footage obtained by MailOnline, Firas El Hejjaji, 29, can be seen attacking their house with the metal knife.
But incredibly despite being arrested on the spot, El Hejjaji was living next door again just 24 hours later, having simply been fined for criminal damage.
The man who lives in the house, whom we are not naming, said, ‘He smashed our door and if he could have gotten to me I think he would have smashed me in too.
“I can’t believe we are expected to live next door to this man after he has threatened us like this. He may seriously injure my wife or my young son next time.
Firas El Hejjaji was captured on doorbell footage trying to force his way into the family’s home before a bystander stopped him
A young family was shocked when their doorbell caught their irate neighbor brandishing a three-foot sword and trying to force their way into their home
‘My wife is pregnant and we have a young child, so I feel extra vulnerable now. It’s madness.’
The incident, in a quiet residential area of Braintree, Essex on Tuesday, was the culmination of months of simmering bad feelings and anti-social behaviour, the victim said.
“He is a volatile man who has developed a grudge against us for no reason. He seems to think we did something to him which just isn’t true.
“His behavior was impossible to live with — he will play swearing rap music at deafening volume in his backyard when our young child tries to play in his wading pool just a few feet away.
“It has made life here extremely stressful and unpleasant for months.
The disturbing footage shows Firas El Hejjaji, 29, attacking the family’s home with the metal knife
Sword-wielding Firas El Hejjaji attacked his neighbor’s house after ‘months of bad feeling and anti-social behaviour’
“Then this week he went completely crazy and started attacking our house with a sword. Thank goodness we weren’t there at the time, but neighbors who saw it were terrified for our safety and theirs as well. His partner had to intervene to calm him down.
“The police were called immediately and we told them all about the background and they saw the footage of what he had done – so when he was arrested and taken away we hoped and expected never to see him again.
“Instead, it was barely 24 hours later before we were told he was here again. He had just been fined. How could this not have been a more serious offense – perhaps a brawl – for which a longer sentence could have been imposed.
“He was brandishing a dangerous weapon with real threat – how much more menacing can this be.”
Firas El Hejjaji can be seen outside the family’s home days before the attack
The family was shocked when they saw Firas El Hejjaji outside their family home in the dark last September
Since sharing footage of the incident, the pair have been flooded with support and have also engaged in talks with their local MP, James Cleverly, to try and take their concerns about their safety more seriously.
A spokesperson for Essex Police said: ‘We were called to reports of damage to a property in Braintree at around 4.15pm on 18th July.
“Twenty-nine-year-old Firas Hejjaji from Braintree was arrested and later charged with criminal damage.
He appeared before Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 19 July and pleaded guilty to the charge. He was ordered to pay £1,500 in damages.’
Mr Cleverly has been contacted for comment.