A SUFFOLK pensioner charged at a neighbour brandishing an ornamental axe above his head during a row about parking outside their homes, it has been alleged.

Jane Hunt

A SUFFOLK pensioner charged at a neighbour brandishing an ornamental axe above his head during a row about parking outside their homes, it has been alleged.

Seventy-four-year-old Raymond Vickers allegedly deliberately parked his mobility scooter close to a car belonging to a visitor to the home of his neighbour Jane Birchin and then refused to move it when the guest wanted to go home, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

When Vickers saw Mrs Birchin and two friends trying to move his scooter out of the way he allegedly stormed out of his home in Banham Road Beccles and launched a verbal attack on them, said Richard Kelly, prosecuting.

“He was using offensive language and spitting,” claimed Mr Kelly.

Vickers had gone back into his house and had allegedly come “charging” out shortly afterwards brandishing an ornamental axe which he used to strike Mrs Birchin on the top of her arm.

Fortunately no injury was caused to Mrs Birchin and Vickers had then returned to the porch of his house where he allegedly indecently exposed himself to the shocked women, said Mr Kelly.

Vickers, of Banham Road, Beccles has denied having an offensive weapon, indecent exposure and assault by beating on July 16 last year.

Mr Kelly told the court that Mrs Birchin had had the “misfortune” of living next door to Vickers all her life and there was a history of bad feeling between them.

On July 16 a visitor to Mrs Birchin's home had parked her car in the unrestricted road outside her house. “Ninety-five per cent of the car was outside Mrs Birchin's house but a few inches of the back of the car were overlapping the border of the defendant's property,” said Mr Kelly.

He said there was nothing wrong with the parking but in order to make a point and to cause inconvenience Vickers had allegedly parked his mobility scooter close to the car, effectively blocking it in.

After the incident the police were called and when they spoke to Vickers he denied knowing anything about an axe. However police found an axe in his porch, said Mr Kelly.

Cross-examined by Shereen Dyer, Mrs Birchin denied that she was lying about Vickers charging towards her with an axe and indecently exposing himself.

The trial continues today (Tues).