Shear violence! Moment two warring neighbours come to blows after one THROWS pair of secateurs at the other in gardening tool bust-up
This is the moment two feuding neighbors fell out after one threw pruning shears at the other.
Dean Nicholas, 51, threw the hand scissors at Paul Benton after an argument outside their homes in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashby Close in Northamptonshire turned violent in July 2021.
Mobile phone footage taken by another resident shows Mr Benton holding his head as Nicholas, who is holding a pair of scissors and hand scissors, shouts abuse at him.
After a foul-mouthed argument, the two neighbors retreated to their own home, leaving Mr Benton with a gash on his head that had to be glued back together in hospital.
Following the shocking incident, Nicholas was found guilty of actual bodily harm at Northampton Crown Court and sentenced to 45 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.
Dean Nicholas (grey jacket), 51, threw the hand scissors at Paul Benton (black shirt) after an argument outside their homes in the quiet cul-de-sac of Ashby Close in Northamptonshire
Mobile phone footage taken by another resident shows Mr Benton holding his head
Meanwhile, Nicholas, who is holding a pair of scissors and hand scissors, shouts abuse at him
In the video, Nicholas can be seen cursing his neighbor on the street and shouting: ‘F**k you man. You’re fucking angry. You’re fucking angry.’
Mr. Benton tells him, “Calm down. I can’t believe you just did that.”
Nicholas then marches back to his front door before turning to shout more abuse at Mr Benton.
He tells him, “You fucking came here with that thing (points to garden tools). You almost gave me a heart attack, man.”
Mr. Nicholas replies, “I took it to my backyard.”
A court heard the supermarket worker turned around after Mr Benton was sitting in his garden on July 13, 2021.
Prosecutor Jonathan Stone said: “Mr Benton saw the suspect sitting in his car.
‘He beckoned him. There have been problems before that have angered the suspect.
‘The suspect entered the front door and retrieved a large metal bar approximately three feet long.
After a foul-mouthed argument, the two neighbors retreated to their own home
Mr Nicholas is seen returning to his home after the attack
‘He then picked up pruning shears and threw them at the complainant’s head. He shouted at the complainant and accused him of assaulting him.
“The complainant was heard saying he just wanted to get back into his garden….”
The victim was left with a cut to his head that had to be stitched back together at Kettering General Hospital.
Judge Rupert Mayo said he believed there was a ‘good chance’ of rehabilitation and sentenced Nicholas to 45 weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months.
He was also ordered to pay compensation of £280 to Mr Benton, at the rate of £40 per month.
Nicholas has a previous warning from four years ago for criminal damage and possession of cannabis.
The court heard he had worked for architectural firms but had a job at Sainsbury’s and was receiving PIP disability benefits after developing epilepsy 14 years ago.
Siobhan Cawkwell, defending, said: ‘It’s fair to say they are not friends but no further incidents have occurred.’