Neighbourhood feud ends up in court

A feud between next-door neighbours escalated into violence on the day one of the couples were moving house.

As they carried boxes into their car ahead of the move to Glenrothes, a confrontation occurred which left both George Gibson and his wife Linda unconscious.

On trial at Dunfermline Sheriff court is their former neighbour James Law, 64, of Rosewell Drive, Lochore.

He denies assaulting Mr and Mrs Gibson on August 6.

Law admits striking the couple but claims he was acting in selfdefence and had been “in fear of my life”.

Mr Gibson, 67, said the incident started when he and his wife were moving boxes to their car.

He claimed Law threw the contents of a mug over him then punched him on the forehead, knocking him to the ground.

Mr Gibson said when he came around he found his wife was bleeding and she told him she too had been hit on the face.

Mrs Gibson, 64, said they had lived next door to the accused for five years and there was bad feeling.

On that day she had heard shouting and went outside to investigate, finding her husband lying in the alleyway.

“Jim Law was kicking him, aiming for his head but hitting his arms.”

She claimed Law was holding a mug in his hand and “back-swung it, hitting me in the face”.

Mrs Gibson said she had been knocked against a wall.

“I was soaked with blood and there was a huge lump on my arm. It was very painful.”

Law said the incident had started when Mr Gibson came up to his window and made faces, giving his wife a fright.

He had gone to speak to him about this. Mr Gibson had come at him and the witness said he felt “very threatened”.

The accused said he “lashed out” in self-defence.

Law said Mrs Gibson took a tight grip of his wrist with one hand and was scratching at his face with the other. “I thought she was trying to take my eye out.”

He said to stop the attack he gave her “an almighty shove” and she fell down.

Sheriff Chris Shead will give his verdict on Wednesday.