Thames Marina Boss Fails To Have Tenant Assault Case Dismissed

Threats: Djurberg

The flamboyant boss of a luxury Thames marina, who screamed at a boat owner: “I’ll break your f***ing head,” while waving a heavy-duty roofing tool, failed to have the case thrown out today.

Myck Djurberg, 60, had already whacked 52 year-old Dutch IT consultant Klaus Beversluis across the back of the head with a pair of gardening gloves.

He appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court, where he was told being locked-up was still a potential option, and was bailed until April 1 for sentencing.

Businessman Djurberg lives in a landmark £13m Swiss chalet at Hampton Riviera Boat Yard, Hampton Court Road, Richmond and is in dispute with Mr. Beversluis, who rents out his three boats via Airbnb.

He was convicted in his absence earlier this month of assaulting Mr. Beversluis and using threatening behaviour towards him on May 8, last year.

After failing to attend the trial a warrant was issued for Djurberg’s arrest and he surrendered himself to the court the following day.

His hopes for a re-trial were dismissed by District Judge Timothy Godfrey, who announced: “This application is ill-founded. There’s no good reason for me to re-open proceedings.

“In my view these offences are serious enough for a community sentence. I’m not saying there should be a custodial sentence, but if you refuse to do a community sentence custody would be an option.”

Mr. Beversluis was upset by a £5,500 service fee and Djurberg’s order to evict the victim’s caretaker when he walked into the marina office at 10am.

He told the trial: “The second I came in he leapt up from behind his desk and almost ran towards me, shouting: ‘Get out of here! Get out of here!’

“He shouted at me and I said I could not get out and wanted to clarify the matter.

Tenant: Beversluis

“He came up towards me and grabbed the nearest thing to him, which were a pair of heavy-duty gardening gloves, raised them and hit me on the back of my head and I also got a bruise on my arm.

“I got a smack on my head as I was trying to get out of there.

“He hit me across the back of the head with as much force as as he could muster and the back of my head was red the next day, it did sting, but did not draw blood.”

Mr. Beversluis fled the office, but was pursued by Djurberg, the court was told.

“I turned around and Myck Djurberg came out of the office and had grasped a weapon that I had seen before,” he added.

“It is called a lead dresser. It is a very heavy roofing tool, roofers use to hit lead flashing around chimneys.

“He had it raised up high and said he would break my f***ing head in.

“I had no doubt he would use it. I was absolutely terrified and ran away as fast as I could.

“It’s heavy enough to cave someone’s skull in, in my opinion.

“I suppose it has effected my confidence. It shook me up tremendously for a while and I had medical advice for increasing my anti-depression and anti-anxiety medication.”

The entire incident was captured on Mr. Beversluis’ camera and played during the trial, including a still of Djurberg holding the tool.

Mr. Beversluis even bought a replica of the tool and brought it to court to show the magistrates.

“There was no need to to hit me or in my view pick up a deadly weapon and threaten to hit me in the head,” he told the court.

Djurberg was questioned by police the next day and claimed he was scared and asked the victim to leave, but he wouldn’t.

He denied hitting the victim with the gloves and said his tenant elbowed him in the chest and his mind was blank about what else may have happened.

Djurberg said the object in his hand was a pencil case and denied using the threatening words.