Firefighter in bitter row with neighbours over where to park camper van
A ‘festering’ feud over where a woman parked her two motor homes dramatically boiled over in a village street.
Firefighter Michelle Vickers, 32, was allegedly attacked, manhandled and sworn at by her neighbour Kim Fowles in a drunken rage.
Fowles’ boyfriend, Stephen Barton, 54, also got involved in the dispute, allegedly grabbing hold of a ladder Ms Vickers’ partner, William Longley, 35, was standing on, and threatened to shake him off.
It was also claimed Barton warned he would shoot the rival couple – despite not owning a gun.
Justifying themselves in court, Fowles and Barton said they were ‘intimidated’ by the way Ms Vickers left her VW Transporter van and another motorhome outside their terraced home in Malpas, Cheshire.
In retaliation, Ms Vickers sprayed a tin of deep heat at her aggressors before storming inside to get the police involved.
Although Ms Vickers was not hurt by Fowles, Mr Longley said he was left distressed by their threats last month.
Fowles and Barton both pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour at Chester Magistrates Court.
Defending Fowles, solicitor Stevie Lumb said: ‘As you have heard there is a history of a parking dispute. Parking is quite sparse.
‘It is terraced housing with only a row of parking available to the residents.
‘It is an ongoing issue with the neighbours who have three or possibly four vehicles that they park on the road outside of their neighbours.
‘They include vans and campervans, we are not talking small vehicles. It has been an ongoing issue for quite some time.’
Magistrate Tim Mann hit out at the ‘unnecessary’ clash, saying: ‘No one owns the road and people can park where they like.
‘I am afraid that if parking is tight, the parking is tight.
‘Whatever you may think about those people parking on the road, it is a public road, you do not have any right to it.
‘Getting to court about this is so unnecessary and wrong and causes problems for everyone involved.’
Fowles was conditionally discharged for 12 months and ordered to pay Ms Vickers £100 in compensation plus £119 in costs and a victim surcharge.
Barton was fined £120 and made to pay £100 in compensation to Mr Longley plus £123 in costs.
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