A man threatened to smash his neighbour’s car with a viking axe following a row over communal parking spaces.
William Gibson’s wife’s motability car had been blocked in and she was left in tears following an exchange over the “first come first served” spot, Inverness Sheriff Court was told.
But after first confronting the neighbour, Gibson then grabbed the replica weapon from his house and threatened to smash the vehicle.
Gibson, 51, admitted charges of threatening or abusive behaviour and possessing a bladed article in a public place.
Fiscal depute Emma MacEwan told the court that at around 6pm on November 29 last year the neighbour had attempted to park outside his Dulaig Court home in Grantown on Spey.
Gibson’s wife had then “pulled in front of him and parked outside her home address”.
“He (the neighbour) asked her if she could move the vehicle as he has tools in his car,” Ms MacEwan said.
Neighbour refused to move car
The woman refused to move and the pair argued.
“She told him if he did not move his car and get out of the way she would get her husband,” the fiscal depute explained.
A short time later the neighbour and his partner were within their home discussing the incident when Gibson knocked at the door.
“He told them to move the vehicle and if not the accused would start smashing the vehicle,” Ms MacEwan said.
After this, the accused left their property and returned carrying a “distinctive axe” with a 4.5-inch metal head.
He stood beside the neighbour’s vehicle and pointed at it in an aggressive manner before walking towards his neighbour with the axe by his side.
At one point he called the man a “f****** English c***”.
The incident, which was caught on a mobile phone camera, was reported to the police by the neighbour’s partner who was “afraid for her family’s safety”.
Officers attended and Gibson was arrested.
Solicitor Mike Chapman, for Gibson, told the court that the parking area in question was communal adding: “It is a case of first come first served.”
He said that Gibson’s wife’s car was a motability vehicle provided for the use of her 21-year-old daughter, who has multiple issues.
He said: “He (the neighbour) parked his car adjacent and behind, blocking her from moving her car. He told her at the time that she would have to leave her car there until the following day.”
Axe-man ‘flipped’ over parking row
Mr Chapman continued: “Mr Gibson was somewhat put out when his wife entered the house in tears.”
He said his client accepted that he “flipped” and went to the neighbour’s house to try to resolve the matter.
After “words were exchanged” Gibson fetched the replica viking axe that was hanging on the wall in his home and threatened to vandalise a car with it.
Sheriff Robert Frazer deferred sentencing on Gibson, of Dulaig Court, Grantown on Spey, to next month for the preparation of reports.
