A furious row over the parking of a Cadillac on a private driveway has led to a 70-year-old man being convicted of assault.
Peter Simmonds became irate when asked to move his American motor to allow easier access for a taxi contracted to transport a child to school.
Norwich Magistrates’ Court was told he had grabbed and manhandled chaperone Samuel Eden, employed to accompany the child on his daily journey, during a confrontation in May 2022.
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Rima Bejum, prosecuting, said witnesses had identified Simmonds as the “aggressor” in the ensuing fracas with Mr Eden in Black Horse Close, a private road in Watton where neighbours have access rights over part of a driveway he owns.
Simmonds, a retired international motor trade consultant, admitted he had sworn and got angry during a “heated argument” but denied trying to drag Mr Eden out of the taxi.
Giving evidence he said he had found Mr Eden “aggressive, smarmy and arrogant” when he asked why he couldn't park in his garage.
“I’m quite within my rights to park as many vehicles as I like on my driveway,” he said.
Lisa Robinson, mitigating, said he had been “minding his own business on his own property” when approached.
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Simmonds also denied making a racist remark to taxi driver Tome Jorseph-Sabu who had claimed he had been called a “monkey”.
He told the court: “I told him to be quiet because I’m talking to the organ grinder, not the monkey. I don’t know if that is politically correct or not, but it was in my day.”
Mr Jorseph-Sabu and a neighbour Maria Bento had both described Simmonds reaching into the taxi to grab Mr Eden.
Finding him guilty of assault, magistrates said the witnesses had been credible in their accounts of him leaning into the taxi to assault Mr Eden.
He was given a 12 month conditional discharge and told to pay costs of £332.
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