Man smashes neighbour’s ‘dangerous’ 1.5m fence with hammer while he’s away on holiday to stop it ‘harming his family’
A MAN destroyed his neighbour’s ‘dangerous’ 1.5metre fence while he was on holiday over fears it would ‘harm his family’, a court heard.
Cops were called to Pump House in Costessey, Norfolk, after a fuming Keith Stopford took a hammer to the brick wall and demolished it entirely.
The outraged neighbour, 57, took it upon himself to ruin the structure while the homeowners were away on holiday because “it posed a danger” to his wife and dog, a court was told.
Mr Stopford has now been charged with criminal damage over the disturbing scene on December 9, 2022.
Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told the neighbours are now embroiled in a bitter war over the destruction of property.
They are set to deliver evidence in trial after Mr Stopford denied the charge of intentionally causing damage – and argued the wall wasn’t safe.
Prosecutor Lala Small told the court there had been no mutual agreement between the neighbours for the wall to be erected but it divided their homes.
Julie Adams, mitigating, argued Mr Stopford claimed he had a “lawful excuse” to bring the wall crashing down.
She told the court: “He believes it posed a danger to himself, his wife, his dog and other people.”
Magistrates granted Mr Stopford unconditional bail ahead of a trial on October 18.