Neighbours at war saga continues, this time over a rake

A sign later taken down on one of the properties. Photo / Martin Hunter, Christchurch Star

By Andrew King

An ongoing feud between two Christchurch neighbours has led to another of the combatants appearing in court.

Simon Bernard Charles Bates is facing a wilful damage charge after allegedly damaging his elderly neighbour's front door with an aluminium rake.

Bates told the Star yesterday he would be defending the charge.

"I just want to deal with the court stuff and move on with my life."

In June, the Star revealed the bitter dispute between Bates and his 76-year-old neighbour Margaret Sutton over their shared driveway in Memorial Ave, Burnside.

Sutton was found guilty of wilful damage of a vehicle in Bates' driveway. She was discharged without conviction and ordered to pay Bates compensation on June 2.

Now Bates is before the courts after police became involved after he used the rake on her door about 9pm on July 1. His next court appearance is in early October. Yesterday, Bates told the Star he had used a rake to reach the door to knock on it.

The trespass order means he is unable to go up to the door, so he stayed on what he believed was his part of the shared driveway.

Mrs Sutton was found guilty of wilful damage of a vehicle in Mr Bates' driveway. Photo / Martin Hunter, Christchurch Star

He wanted to complain to Sutton about stakes on the driveway. Bates said yesterday a police claim he had been drinking was incorrect.

The neighbourhood feud has been ongoing since September last year.

Bates and Sutton have surveillance cameras on their properties.

Sutton has claimed dog poo has been thrown on her property and her garden deliberately flooded with a sprinkler.

After Sutton was found guilty of wilful damage in June, Bates put up a sign saying "Guilty" on his garage, which faces her property. It was taken down after the Star reported on it.

Sutton could not be contacted for comment.