Architect Louise St John Kennedy arrested after allegedly threatening to run over neighbour

A Claremont socialite spent a night in custody after allegedly breaching a violent restraining order by threatening to run over her neighbour. Award-winning architect Louise St John Kennedy appeared before Perth Magistrates Court on Thursday morning to apply for bail after she was taken in by police on Wednesday. Her arrest relates to an incident in Claremont last month, where it is alleged Ms Kennedy threatened her elderly neighbour Prudence Manners, allegedly breaching her violent restraining order and protective bail conditions in the process. Police say the altercation occurred when Ms Kennedy beeped the horn of her white Mustang outside of Ms Manners’ house, about lunchtime on September 27. The two are direct neighbours and share a driveway to their respective residences. When Ms Manners emerged from her home, Ms Kennedy is alleged to have threatened: “I’m going to run you over” before turning her car’s wheels towards her neighbour. “The accused really needs to cease acting in this manner,” the police prosecutor said in court on Thursday. Ms Kennedy shook her head when the prosecutor read aloud details of the alleged incident. Her arrest this week comes less than a month before her next court appearance to fight charges from a separate driveway dispute between the pair last year. A violence restraining order and protective conditions were put in place against Ms Kennedy relating to the 2024 incident, including that she cannot come within five metres of her neighbour. An attempt to have that minimum distance lessened to just one metre was knocked back in court on Thursday. “When (Ms Kennedy) has to leave the residence... she’s concerned that sometimes her vehicle may come within less than five meters of (Ms Manners) protected personal property,” Ms Kennedy’s court-appointed lawyer said. While Magistrate Melissa McEwen granted Ms Kennedy bail on Thursday, she did not allow any change to bail and restraining order conditions. “I can accept the concern about Ms Kennedy leaving her premises and then reversing her car, that she may be accused of approaching the person protected,” Ms McEwan said. “I have been asked of Ms Kennedy’s application to reduce that distance to one meter. My view is that that’s not appropriate. “If (Ms Kennedy) is lawfully otherwise going about her business, then there shouldn’t be a breach.” Ms McEwan told Ms Kennedy she would need to make a new application if she wants the courts to consider the distance stipulated by the restraining order. Ms Kennedy will return to Perth’s Magistrates Court for her ongoing trial on November 3.