A 42-year-old woman who threatened to cut her 80-year-old neighbour up into small pieces and put her in a plastic bin bag has been evicted.

Cynthia McKenzie, who lived in her Eglantine Road flat in Wandsworth for 19 years, subjected her neighbours to threats of violence and loud reggae music for years, Wandsworth County Court heard last Wednesday..

She eventually had to be restrained by police with CS gas at her home in September last year.

In April 2005 she told retired telephonist Margaret Guscott: "I'll kill you, cut you up in pieces and put you in a black bin bag." Mrs Guscott, who was living with her 14-year-old granddaughter Abigail at the time, was so frightened she called the police.

She said: "Abigail was terrified, really very upset and shaking like a leaf. I have no idea what I would do if Cynthia was to come back. I just would not be able to face it. I can't take it anymore and I'm fearful for my safety."

McKenzie told Riverhaven Housing Association she would "not be responsible if Mrs Guscott fell downstairs" and told maintenance man Clive Reed he "would end up in A&E" after he cut off her gas fire for safety reasons.

The situation came to a head on September 3 when police were called to McKenzie's flat after she shouted obscene abuse to neighbours Malcolm and Jeanne Sanders.

When police arrived they found her standing at a window waving a kitchen knife.

Police decided to call the Tactical Support Group, which arrived with riots shields and body armour. They forced their way into McKenzie's flat and she threatened two officers with a knife before turning it on herself.

Officers incapacitated her with CS gas before handcuffing her and taking her to the police station.

Judge Rose said he was sure the events were extremely traumatic for McKenzie, but said he was going to enforce the possession order anyway, effectively evicting her.

shalls@london.newsquest.co.uk