'I'll put a hammer in your head' - Jarrow man set for sentencing after dispute reaction

A stressed South Tyneside man threatened to stick a hammer in his next-door neighbour’s head when a longstanding dispute exploded into verbal confrontation, a court heard.

Peter Glover, 54, shouted the remark after months of conflict over unsanctioned building work his victim had allegedly made to his home in Wye Avenue, Hedworth, Jarrow.

It led to Glover’s abode being part-flooded and suffering other water damage issues, causing him frustration, it was said.

His bitterness grew so much by mid-October he had been issued with police warnings to steer clear of his foe, prosecutor Sarah Malkinson said.

She revealed Glover finally overstepped the mark on Monday, January 30, when he shouted verbal abuse across their gardens.

Ms Malkinson said: “The complainant is a neighbour of the defendant. He describes issues between them which came to a head on August 7.

“The defendant was issued with a community protection warning on that date.

“He was then further verbally abusive on October 19, and that was when a conditional caution was made.

“On January 31, there were visitors going into the defendant’s address. The defendant was shouting and swearing.”

Ms Malkinson said that included Glover calling his neighbour “a psycho” and shouting, “I’ll put a hammer in your head”.

She added: “He intended to cause some fear or distress, there was some distress caused.”

Glover, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to a charge of causing harassment without violence.

In a victim statement, the complainant said the dispute had caused him to feel tense and anxious, leading him to seek medical support.

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Tim Gregory, defending, said the bust-up between the immediate neighbours happened due in part to property work the complainant had done, over which the council had become involved.

Mr Gregory added: “There’s a bit of to-ing and fro-ing. He was arrested in October and that really was the starting point of the harassment.

“He’s been under a certain amount of pressure from the neighbour, his property has been put at substantial risk.”

District Judge Zoe Passfield adjourned the case for reports and granted Glover unconditional bail to be sentenced at the same court on Tuesday, July 11.