There is a history between the accused, who has a criminal record, and the complainant and her two daughters During 10 days in February, Albert Ward's ongoing dispute with a neighbour in a Wellington Street East apartment building accelerated to a death threat involving knives. On Feb. 3, he damaged her door, and threatened to kill her. On Feb. 13, Ward was angry and started yelling at the woman, but this time he was holding knives, as he again threatened to harm her. And last week, on April 17, he was in a Sault Ste. Marie courtroom, where he pleaded guilty to seven charges stemming from his behaviour. Ward, 36, was convicted of three counts of breaching probation for harassing the woman, not staying away from her and failing to keep the peace, and two counts of threatening. As well, he was convicted of single counts of mischief and violating an undertaking that prohibited him from communicating with the woman and two other people. Ontario Court Justice Melanie Dunn heard city police were called to the building on Feb. 3. The complainant reported someone was trying to kick in her apartment door, prosecutor Chris Thompson said. She had a security camera, which captured Ward smashing glass on an exterior door of the building. Officers were aware there was a history of several previous disputes and calls about an unwanted person, the assistant Crown attorney said. Ten days later, Ward was back at the residence with knives and again uttering the same threats. The Crown and defence lawyer Ken Walker jointly recommended a four-month jail sentence, less credit for the time he has been in custody on the charges, followed by three years probation. There is a history between the accused, who has a criminal record, and the complainant and her two daughters, Thompson said. "His last conviction is related to her and he didn't get the message," he told Dunn. A lengthy probation with protective conditions for them is appropriate in the circumstances, he said. Walker said his client suffers from bipolar disorder and fetal alcohol syndrome, and has difficulty cognitively and mentally. "The animosity goes back for a number of years," he explained. Ward told the judge he's had "issues with her for a long time" and when he had lived in an apartment below hers she had played loud music at night. "I thought she and her boyfriend would beat me up. I was scared." When she imposed the sentence, Dunn said Ward's guilty pleas are indications of remorse. "He's outlined the animosity with his neighbour and says he longer speaks with them." With the enhanced credit of 96 days he received for the time he's spent in pre-sentence custody, Ward faces a further 24 days behind bars. He will be on probation for 36 months, during which time he can have no contact with the woman or her daughters and must remain 50 metres away from them. The judge also imposed a five-weapons prohibition and ordered him to provide a DNA sample for the national database.