Homeowner drives van at neighbour and threatens to ‘slit his throat’ in dispute over boundary wall

A 56-year-old man drove his van directly at a pensioner neighbour and threatened to slit his throat during a bitter boundary dispute in Sussex, a court has heard.

Mark Coates is accused of carrying out a three-month campaign of harassment and intimidation against David Greenwood, 69, and Janice Turner, 65, who lived in the adjoining semi-detached property.

The allegations were heard at Lewes Crown Court, where prosecutors detailed how the couple were left living in fear of violence.

Coates faces two counts of harassment and two counts of criminal damage, to which he has pleaded not guilty.

The court heard that Coates repeatedly swore at the couple when they were in their garden and threw stones at their bedroom window and car.

The campaign of intimidation lasted for three months, during which the pensioners felt increasingly threatened in their own home.

The situation reached a dangerous peak when Coates climbed onto the roof of their semi-detached property and began removing tiles.

“Mr Greenwood saw the defendant staring at him as he was driving,” prosecutor Rio Pahlavanpour told the court, describing one of the confrontations.

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When questioned by police about the incidents, Coates dismissed his neighbours as “compulsive liars” and claimed he had been “victimised by Sussex Police.”

The dispute stemmed from a legal battle that had resulted in Greenwood and Turner obtaining a possession order over Coates’ three-bedroom home.

Days after this court ruling, Coates allegedly intensified his campaign of abuse.

In one serious incident, Coates drove his VW van to the garage where Greenwood worked as a mechanic.

As the pensioner was conducting diagnostics on a car outside, Coates drove directly at him, the court heard.

“Despite having ample opportunity of swerving away or turning, it drove at him,” prosecutor Rio Pahlavanpour said.

Greenwood was forced to move “briskly” out of the way to avoid being struck by the vehicle.

The threats escalated when Greenwood was in his garden and heard Coates say “Yellow” before swearing at him.

Coates then allegedly said “Slit me throat” while making a cutting motion across his neck.

In another incident, Coates swore at MGreenwood near his greenhouse, saying: “You’re taking the f**king p**s.”

The campaign reached its climax on June 10 when Coates climbed onto the roof of both properties and began throwing tiles down towards his neighbours.

Police were immediately called and Coates was arrested.

During police questioning, he responded “no comment” when asked about the throat-slitting gesture, harassment allegations and the roof tile incident.

The trial is expected to last five days.