Man drove van at his neighbour in bitter row, court hears

A man drove his van directly at a pensioner and then threatened to slit his throat in a campaign of harassment, intimidation and abuse, a court heard.

Sussex couple, David Greenwood, 69, and Janice Turner, 65, were left living in fear of violence after being involved in a long-running neighbour dispute with Mark Coates, 56, a jury was told.

The court heard that Coates had repeatedly sworn at the pair when they were in the garden, had thrown stones at their bedroom window and at their car and had left them feeling intimidated in a three-month campaign.

On one occasion he went Mr Greenwood's place of work and drove his VW van directly at the pensioner who had to get out of the way 'briskly' to avoid being hit, the court heard.

Later when the pensioner was in his garden, Coates allegedly said: 'Slit me throat' before making a cutting motion across his throat.

The alleged campaign ended when police were called after Coates climbed onto the roof of their semi-detached home and began removing and throwing roof tiles down at them.

Lewes Crown Court heard both sets of neighbours, who lived in adjoining semi-detached homes, had been involved in a long-running dispute.

As part of that dispute Coates had incurred a legal bill and Miss Turner and Mr Greenwood had been given a possession order by the court over their neighbour's three-bedroom home.

But just days after the possession order was granted Coates embarked on a campaign of abuse, harassment and intimidation again them.

Coates allegedly swore at them, threw stones at their bedroom window and their car and drove at Mr Greenwood.

The court heard Coates drove his VW van to the garage wear Mr Greenwood worked as a mechanic.

As he was carrying out diagnostics on a car outside the garage, Coates drove straight at him.

Rio Pahlavanpour, prosecuting, said: 'Mr Greenwood saw is defendant in his VW van. The vehicle went past the garage and down the narrow lane and drove back up the lane.

'It then drove towards Mr Greenwood and began accelerating, despite having ample opportunity of swerving away or turning it drove at him, Mr Greenwood saw he defendant staring at him as he was driving. 

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'He was able to briskly move out of the way and avoid collision with the vehicle.'

The jury was told that just days later Mr Greenwood was in his garden, which adjoined his neighbours, when he heard Coates say 'yellow' and swear at him.

Then as he looked towards him Coates allegedly said 'slit me throat' before making a cutting motion across his throat.

On a second occasion Mr Greenwood was walking down towards his greenhouse when Coates again swore at him and said: 'You're taking the f******* p***.'

The court heard the dispute culminated on June 10 this year when Coates clambered onto the roof of the two houses and began removing all the roof tiles.

He then began throwing them down towards his neighbours who immediately called the police.

Mr Pahlavanpour said Coates was arrested by police and taken into custody and questioned by officers.

'During the interview he was asked questions about the throat slitting comment, making his neighbours feel as if they were being harassed and throwing tiles from the roof and he answered: 'No comment.'

The court heard the only comment he made about the series of incident was to accuse his neighbours of being 'compulsive liars' and claiming and he had been 'victimised by Sussex Police'.

Coates was eventually charged with two counts of harassment and two counts of criminal damage. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges,

The trial, which began today, is due to last five days.