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A pensioner became so furious over where his neighbours had left their bins that he “manically” smashed one of their cars before attacking with a garden hoe.

Edward Burgess, 87, became rattled when Philip Brittles left his bins on a path outside his home, Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard.

Burgess knocked on his neighbour’s door and threatened to “do him in” if he was to place the bins on the same spot again.

Mr Brittle closed his gate as Burgess walked away from his front door, but the pensioner then threw a punch over the gate, which Mr Brittle says connected with his face.

The defendant then walked away, and said: “Let me go and get my metal bar and I’ll do you in.”

Mr Brittle’s son called the police but, before they arrived, Mr Brittle heard the sound of glass smashing and found Burgess using a white garden hoe to “manically” smash his wife’s car outside his home in Gateacre, Liverpool.

Andrew Page, prosecuting, said Mr Brittle shouted for him to stop, and Burgess then swung the hoe at him, causing injury to his back and chest, before members of the Brittle family managed to disarm him. A police officer arrived at the scene and cautioned and arrested Burgess, who was then interviewed the same day with a solicitor, reports Liverpool Echo.

Magistrates heard details of the offences and, while they were retired to deliberate, Burgess called his victims a “pair of c***s” across the courtroom, and briefly mentioned a dispute he had with a different neighbour.

But the foul-mouthed pensioner was spared jail and instead sentenced to a 12-month community order, and ordered to complete 10 rehabilitation days and pay an £80 fine.

Burgess was also ordered to pay the £345 costs to repair the Brittle family car, and £100 in compensation to his neighbour. A restraining order barring Burgess from contacting any of the Brittle family or entering their property was also implemented for three years.

His version of events was somewhat different to Mr Brittle’s.

Burgess told the court he went to Mr Brittles house to discuss bin issues before things became heated and claimed the victim had headbutted him. Burgess agreed he returned to smash the car, and pleaded guilty to criminal damage, but denied common assault.

He was convicted after trial on January 9, 2023. In a victim impact statement, read by the prosecution, Mr Brittle said: “We are dreading what will be next having seen what Mr Burgess is capable of, that is the damage to my car.”

Burgess has several previous convictions for similar offences including in 2021, where he was convicted of causing damage and of having an article with intention to cause damage, and common assault and harassment. The pensioner, who represented himself, did not accept the prosecution’s case during his sentencing hearing, and repeatedly pointed at Mr and Mrs Burgess who sat at the back of the court.

He said: “There’s a lot of difference between that version and my version, can I explain my version? I don’t do it on a whim, I was provoked by them two.”

When asked about a restraining order, he said: “I wish they would keep away from my house with their rubbish.”

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