A 23-YEAR-old woman today claimed the father of an Ipswich Witches speedway rider dated then harassed her.Donna Meredith, who set up a fan club for speedway ace Scott Nicholls told magistrates in Lowestoft that Scott's father Raymond harassed her on eight separate occasions.

A 23-YEAR-old woman today claimed the father of an Ipswich Witches speedway rider dated then harassed her.

Donna Meredith, who set up a fan club for speedway ace Scott Nicholls told magistrates in Lowestoft that Scott's father Raymond harassed her on eight separate occasions.

The offences are said to have taken place between May 12 and June 16 last year.

Nicholls, 53, of Foxhall Road, Ipswich, denies the claims.

The first of the eight incidents was said to have taken place at Foxhall Stadium, the home of Ipswich Witches, on May 12 last year.

Miss Meredith claims Nicholls followed her as she drove out of the stadium car park, trying to block her exit. She told the court Nicholls then got out of his car, forcing her to leave via another route.

Defending Nicholls, Christine Hayes accepted the defendant had followed Miss Meredith but said this was because she had been abusive to him and had threatened his wife.

She also told the court both Miss Meredith and her sister Lisa had been in a relationship with Nicholls at the same time.

When Miss Meredith found Nicholls and her sister together she had a row with her sister. This left her needing hospital treatment after her fingers became trapped in a door.

Mrs Hayes added Miss Meredith had telephoned Nicholls' wife to tell her of her husband's affair on Christmas Eve.

Miss Meredith admitted she had done this but said it was to protect Nicholls' wife. Miss Meredith told the court about a series of incidents when she had come across Nicholls.

She said: "I felt like everywhere I went he was there. I always felt scared, nervous and intimidated whenever I saw him."

Referring to a diary detailing her harassment claims, she revealed a number of dates, times and locations when she had seen Nicholls.

One such encounter was on May 18 last year at the Royal George pub in Colchester Road, Ipswich. She said she had seen Nicholls in the car park while she was playing pool inside the pub.

Then, the following day just after midnight, she said she was woken by the sounds of Nicholls pulling up in a vehicle outside her mother's house in Thanet Road, Ipswich.

On May 25 at about 9pm Miss Meredith saw Nicholls again, this time at the Milestone in Woodbridge Road, Ipswich.

Miss Meredith said she was out with a group of friends but noticed Nicholls repeatedly staring at her. When she went to the toilet with her sister she said Nicholls grabbed her sister's arm and said something to her.

The next encounter took place at the Lattice Barn pub in Woodbridge Road. She then saw him on three further occasions at the same pub on June 4, 6 and 10.

On each occasion Miss Meredith claims Nicholls stared at her but never spoke to her.

On another occasion Miss Meredith claimed Nicholls was waiting outside one of her friends' house in Brittania Road, Ipswich. Instead of dropping her friend off at home, Miss Meredith decided to drive to Ipswich Police Station because she was scared of Nicholls' presence.

She was then escorted home by the police.

The court was told Miss Meredith had known Nicholls since she was 14-years-old.

Defending, Mrs Hayes claimed Miss Meredith had made up the allegations because Nicholls was not "interested in her".

The trial continues.