‘Please help us’: Convicted criminal allegedly terrorising social housing neighbours

A  man convicted over terrorising a teen is living just metres from a primary school and daycare centre in suburban Newcastle and has left vulnerable social housing residents in constant fear.

Richard Veale, 56, moved into the complex 18 months ago and neighbours say his aggressive outbursts, threats of violence, and yelling have made them feel like “prisoners in their own homes”.

“Something’s got to be done so we are heard and just not ignored anymore,” Debbie Hall told A Current Affair.

Resident Graham Keith, 67, recently took out an interim apprehended violence order against Veale after he allegedly threatened to “smash his head in”.

“When I Googled his name ... it horrified me,” Keith told A Current Affair.

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“You cannot have a person like that placed between a school and a preschool.“

In 2020, Veale was sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty to using a carriage service to procure a child under 16 for unlawful sexual activity, and using a carriage service to threaten to kill.

Court records reveal Veale sent one 15-year-old girl more than 200 text messages in a single day.

When approached by A Current Affair, Veale claimed his victim was 24 rather than 15 years old.

Desperate residents say their repeated pleas to Housing NSW have been ignored, with officials telling them Veale is legally entitled to social accommodation.

“He will eventually hurt somebody because he’s threatened and threatened and threatened,” Hall said.

“Please help us.

“We really, really need help. We need to be heard.“

Shortly after being confronted by A Current Affair, Veale was arrested by police for breaching his bail reporting conditions.