Woman fined after recreating Psycho knife scene in prank to give neighbour a fright

A mother-of-two who tried to give her friend a fright by recreating a knife-wielding scene from the film Psycho has been fined more than £400. Lisa Peck knocked on her neighbour’s door holding a black kitchen knife to scare her. Colchester Magistrates’ Court heard Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 classic Psycho is the favourite film of Peck and her pal. However, another neighbour spotted her through her front window and called the police.

When they arrived, Peck, 36, of Colchester, Essex, was back in her home, but when they searched the house they found a knife on the floor in her hall and she was arrested. Peck admitted possessing an offensive weapon in public when she appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court. Lesla Small, prosecuting said: “Miss Peck said she thought it would be funny to knock on the door and give her friend a bit of a fright.”



James O'Toole, mitigating, said Peck is extremely remorseful and was under considerable pressure at the time because her two teenage children had moved back in with her after living with their father. He said: “For whatever reason, it came into her head to re-enact a scene from their favourite film, Psycho. It was absolutely stupid and foolish beyond belief. She had absolutely no intention of using the knife and she knows it was absolutely stupid.”

The court heard Peck is a binge drinker rather than someone who has habitual trouble with alcohol. She admitted to being drunk at the time of the incident. Robert Clubb, chairman of the bench, said he accepted Peck’s excuse but added: “The court takes a pretty dim view of someone rushing around with a knife in a public place. However, we are minded to view this in the lowest level of this particular offence.” Peck was ordered to pay £405.