BASILDON Council chief executive Bala Mahendran feared for his safety during a 20-month “vile and libellous” harassment campaign, a court heard.

Mr Mahendran considered leaving his position after being harassed by 53-year-old Steve Barratt, who yesterday lost his appeal against his June conviction for pursuing Mr Mahendran, former council leader Tony Ball and borough solicitor Lorraine Browne.

The court heard, between September 2011 and May 2013, Barratt, of Lower Park Road, Wickford, sent emails and letters which made accusations of corruption and paedophilia.

Barratt demanded apologies from Basildon Council, claiming the authority had tampered with evidence during a benefit fraud prosecution against his estranged wife, Mandy, in 2006.

The prosecution was dropped by the authority.

When police went to his home in May 2013 to warn him to stop sending correspondence, they recorded him saying he might “follow councillors to see where they lived” before getting hold of “a couple of pieces” – which the officers took to mean guns.

Mr Mahendran said, in one letter, he and Mr Ball were accused of covering up a paedophile ring.

Mr Mahendran said: “I thought it could become physical and extend to my family. You can have a witchhunt. In a place like Basildon I feel very visible as I’m in the public limelight. It was despicable. People could say ‘there is no smoke without fire’.

“You begin to think is it worth having a job like this, if somebody can take a personal vendetta then abuse you.”

Barratt, who had around 60 convictions up to 1992, including one for firearms, said the problems between him and the council dated back to 1998.

Echo: Lost appeal – Steve Barratt

He insisted he never meant to harass any individual.

He said: “I have spent 15 years in prison and am quite capable of taking the law into my own hands, but I tried to do it properly the way you people tell me to.”

Judge David Owen-Jones dismissed the appeal, saying: “It was a campaign of vile, cruel and libellous allegations. To seek an investigation is one thing but to makewild allegations verging on a compulsive paranoia against members of the council staff is clearly an act which amounts to harassment.”