Man hit neighbour on head with hammer in dispute over tree branches

The neighbour told police the incident had left him needing shoulder surgery, said Victoria Hajba-Ward, prosecuting.

Attacker James Anthony Snowden, 30, had moved into the Tang Hall street during the first national lockdown to stay with his partner.

On the evening of April 6, the neighbour saw that Snowden had thrown branches into his garden.

Just after midnight he went round to speak to Snowden.

“He was hit by a hammer to the back of his head and ended up in a scuffle on the floor,” said the prosecution barrister.

In a personal statement, the victim said he had initially had to take three days off work with severe bruising and soreness to his head after the incident.

But he had continued to have issues with his shoulder and was now awaiting surgery that would mean he would have to take 12 weeks off work while he recovered.

The prosecution did not have medical evidence to give the court about the shoulder.

Snowden’s partner asked him to leave the address after the incident and now lives at Gregory Close, Skelton.

He pleaded guilty to actual bodily harm on the basis he had acted in self-defence but had gone too far.

Snowden was given a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years on condition he does 30 days’ rehabilitative activities.

He was also made subject to a five-year restraining order banning him from contacting the victim or going to the Tang Hall street where the assault happened.

In 2019 he had been convicted of criminal damage when he had vandalised a car and shouted through the letter box of a man he wrongly believed to be a sex offender.

Solicitor advocate Graham Parkin, said Snowden had been drinking.

The victim had been burning wood “throughout the day”.

The defendant had thrown the branches over because he had intended asking the victim to burn them as well.

Because of his partner asking him to leave the address, he had been homeless for a time.

He had mental health problems and was getting counselling.