Neighbours' row ends in crown court

A WOMAN suffered broken ribs, a blood clot in an eye, a damaged hip, and a “cardiac incident” after being pushed to the floor when a neighbour dispute erupted into violence, a court has heard.

- JASON EVANS

Pensioner David Yates claimed his victim had stumbled over a kerb and fallen to the ground, and he denied laying a finger on her.

Merthyr Crown Court heard that Yates still denied pushing the woman even after entering a guilty plea, leading a judge to question whether there was a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.

The court heard that on the afternoon of May 15 last year the victim went on a shopping trip with a friend then drove her home to Brynmawr.

The woman parked her car in a communal area and “raised a hand in greeting” to 67-year-old Yates at the window of his property - before helping her friend with her shopping bags.

The court heard that the defendant left his property and approached the car where “words were exchanged with raised voices”

Yates then shoved the victm to the chest, causing her to fall into her car and then to the ground.

The defendant returned to his property while an ambulance was called.