A nuisance neighbour was found guilty of breaching his restraining order by insulting residents in his road – but was acquitted of a further charge of clapping to annoy them.

Jurors at Oxford Crown Court found Keith Quartermain, of Austin Place in Abingdon, guilty on two of three counts of breaching the order which he was first given in 2003.

Quartermain, pictured, was initially given the order after he used a “laughing machine” and hundreds of abusive signs to mock his neighbours.

Neighbours David Quick and Catherine Fillier were subjected to “mechanical laughter” when at their homes and insulting signs were displayed in his garden.

Yesterday the 67-year-old was found guilty of insulting his neighbours on November 3 and 5 last year, but was cleared of a third count of deliberately making clapping noises to annoy them.

Quartermain had told the court he had actually been talking about the TV show Ugly Betty when his words were overheard by a neighbour.

But the jury convicted him of the two charges.

Jurors acquitted Quartermain on the third count after he told the court: “I’ve not clapped at all.

“I try to keep as quiet as I can.”

He was bailed until June 21 when he will be sentenced at Oxford Crown Court.