Neighbourly parking feud ends up in court

A parking feud on a Blenheim street has ended with a man intentionally reversing into a neighbour’s vehicle.

After the victim in blocked the Marlborough man’s driveway with her vehicle, Jonathan James Bradley, 26, backed into it with his vehicle and called her a ‘‘black bitch’’.

His lawyer said there had been ‘‘mutual antagonism’’ between the pair that day.

A police summary said Bradley and the victim resided in the same neighbourhood, and on July 26 at around 1.50pm, Bradley had been in a Ford vehicle outside his home address on Dix Cres, Blenheim.

About 10 minutes before, the victim had parked her vehicle on the driveway of Bradley’s property, blocking his access. This had been a response to Bradleys’ partner parking a vehicle on the road in front of the victims house.

On discovering his access to the driveway had been blocked by the victim, Bradley revved his engine excessively, before he began reversing slowly into the stationary vehicle of the victim, causing minor damage to its rear bumper.

A verbal argument then ensued, where Bradley called the victim a ‘‘black bitch’’.

His explanation to police was that he intentionally reversed into the victim’s vehicle because he was angry she had blocked access to his own driveway.

His lawyer Kent Arnott said Bradley admitted to the charges of wilful damage and offensive behaviour, and accepted the police summary of facts at Blenheim District Court on Monday.

‘‘In my submission, there was mutual antagonism that day, but obviously Mr Bradley overstepped the mark in that regard,’’ Arnott said.

Judge Gary Barkle told Bradley that this type of behaviour was ‘‘not a good look’’, particularly as the victim lived relatively close by him.

‘‘I’m not sure that parking in a way that you deemed inappropriate, warranted this sort of outcome,’’ he said.

Judge Barkle then sentenced him to 80 hours community work and ordered him pay $1000 in reparation for the damage done to the bumper of the victim’s vehicle.