A MAN WHO BASHED HIS NEIGHBOUR OVER THE HEAD WITH

A MAN WHO BASHED HIS NEIGHBOUR OVER THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER
WALKED FREE FROM A COURT AFTER BEING ACQUITTED OF WOUNDING THE
MAN IN A HEATED ARGUEMENT.

THE NEIGHBOURHOOD CALM OF HOCKET CLOSE,DEPTFORD WAS
VIOLENTLY DISRUPTED ON JUNE 14 THIS YEAR WHEN JAMES COX’S
ALSATIAN “SIMBA” STARTED BARKING AT ANTHONY MAYNARD’S TWO PIT
BULL TERRIERS.

AND AFTER A HEATED EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE TWO
OWNERS, MAYNARD MARCHED OFF, RETURNING MINUTES LATER TO BASH COX
OVER THE HEAD WITH A HAMMER.

BUILDING CONTRACTOR, COX,34, LIVING 4 DOORS AWAY FROM
MAYNARD IN HOCKETT CLOSE, WAS RUSHED TO HOSPITAL WERE HE
RECEIVED 16 STITCHES TO HIS FOREHEAD.

ON ARREST, JOBLESS MAYNARD,31, TOLD POLICE:’ THERE’S NOT A
LOT TO SAY, EXCEPT I HIT HIME WITH A HAMMER.

I DID IT IN SELF-
DEFENCE BECAUSE COX LUNGED AT ME WITH A CARVING KNIFE.

‘
IN COURT COX DENIED HAVING ANY WEAPON IN HIS HAND AT THE
TIME OF THE INCIDENT SAYING,’WE HAD A BIT OF A SET TO ABOUT THE
DOGS BUT WHEN MAYNARD WALKED OFF, I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END OF
IT.

‘THE NEXT THING I KNEW HE HAD COME BACK AND HIT ME ON THE
HEAD WITH A HAMMER.

BUT I CERTAINLY WASN’T HOLDING A KNIFE OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT.

‘ HE SAID.

BUT GIVING EVIDENCE, MAYNARD TOLD THE COURT COX HAD BEEN
HANDED THE KNIFE BY HIS WIFE, JOAN.

‘AS THE ARGUEMENT GOT WORSE, MRS COX APPEARED WITH A
CARVING KNIFE AND HANDED IT TO HER HUSBAND.

I WENT BACK INSIDE
AND GOT A HAMMER.

‘WHEN I CAME BACK, COX LUNGED AT ME BUT MISSED SO I HIT
HIM.

I KNOW IT WAS THE WRONG THING TO DO BUT IT WAS IN SELF-
DEFENCE.

‘ HE TOLD THE COURT.

BUT THE JURY ACQUITTED MAYNARD AFTER THEY HEARD ANOTHER
NEIGHBOUR HAD SEEN COX LUNGING AT MAYNARD BEFORE HE WAS HIT WITH
THE HAMMER.

ENDS*