'Semi-Detached Rage' Pensioner Attacked Builder And Neighbour

An 81year-old pensioner punched next-door's builder twice in the face in a suburban 'semi-detached rage' attack and violently struck his neighbour with his grandson's rounders bat when work started on their shared chimney.

Mounting ill-feeling concerning noisy works boiled over just three weeks after the new family moved into the quiet road and the blows left the Polish contractor with blood pouring from his nose and mouth.

Retired John Payne, (pic.top) of Oaks Avenue, Worcester Park, Surrey pleaded guilty yesterday to assaulting Lukasz Nochowicz (mid.l.) and Jaspal Sidhu (mid.r.) on October 11, last year.

Prosecutor Mr. John Gardner told Croydon Magistrates' Court the Sidhu family had just moved into the adjoining property (pic.bottom l.) and immediately began renovations after introducing themselves to Payne and his 79 year-old wife with a box of chocolates.

"Before the assaults Payne came over and said there was a lot of noise taking place and Mr. Sidhu shut his front door because he was being shouted at by the defendant.

"Mr. Sidhu had taken his family out for the day when Payne approached Mr. Nochowicz, who was standing by a skip and asked: 'What's going on?'

"He did not reply to the defendant and returned to the house, but Payne forced open the front door with a kick, barged past and began running upstairs.

"Mr. Nochowicz grabbed his arm and Payne turned and punched him twice with his right hand to the nose and mouth."

The builder rushed to the sink in pain and later told police: "I was shocked and bleeding heavily from the nose and mouth."

Mr. Sidhu was telephoned and immediately returned home and knocked on Payne's front door.

The victim told police: "He had a red bat in his left hand and raised the bat and struck me with it on the right side of the face.

"I believe if I had not moved I would have suffered a far more serious blow to my head. He then hit me again on the right side of the body near my rib cage."

Mr. Sidhu feared he was about to be hit for a third time and kicked Payne, who fell backwards onto the floor.

"Police were called and Payne was arrested," explained Mr. Gardner. "He told them he was fed up with the noise.

"The box of chocolates the Sidhu's gave them was unceremoniously hurled over the fence after this incident."

Miss Clodagh Callenam said: "Mr. Payne is rather set in his ways and was clearly upset by the noise and found it difficult to deal with because he is set in his routine.

"He believes you are not allowed to carry out works on your home at the weekend and found this grating, grating, grating on his nerves. It was the only thing going on in his life."

The defendant also believed his permission was needed for work on the chimney separating the properties to begin and heard the upstairs breast being demolished.

"He was at the end of his tether at this disruption in his life and he wanted to get upstairs to see if the chimney breast was being worked on."

The Sidhu's also plan building an extention to the rear of their property.

Payne was bailed until March 8 for sentencing.