Murder attempt in grass cutting row

DUNFERMLINE: Argument over cash leads to brutal knife attack

An argument over payment for grass cutting ended in a Fife man launching a brutal murder bid on his neighbour.

Frank Prosser stabbed Paul Rogers in the chest, stomach, legs and arms in a frenzied knife attack in Dunfermline on July 23.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard the 34-yearold carried out the assault after Mr Rogers had failed to pay Prosser’s father £20 for gardening before issuing him a threatening letter.

Prosser had called police himself to warn them he had a knife prior to the murder attempt.

Surgeons had to operate to repair life threatening wounds on Mr Rogers and to close the injuries to his limbs.

Judge John Morris deferred sentence for the preparation of a background report on Prosser, who was remanded in custody.

A man carried out a brutal murder bid on a neighbour after a dispute over gardening services.

Frank Prosser phoned police before the attack and told them he had knives and warned that he would kill the victim if he did not leave.

Prosser was told not to go to Paul Rogers’ flat but returned holding a knife and walked in and stabbed him in the chest before inflicting multiple wounds on him.

Prosser, 34, admitted attempting to murder Mr Rogers at his home in Nith Street, Dunfermline, on July 23 this year, when he appeared at the High Court in Edinburgh yesterday.

The court heard that Prosser lived with his pensioner father in a neighbouring block of flats to Mr Rogers.

Advocate depute Lynsey MacDonald said: “On July 19 the accused’s father, Frank, agreed to cut the victim’s grass and hedge. The victim was to pay the accused’s father £20, however he did not pay him.”

She said the following day Mr Rogers wrote a threatening and abusive letter to the father and posted it through the letterbox.

The prosecutor said the letter contained a number of instructions and warned the accused’s father that if he did not follow them he would be assaulted, stating that he would “leave him for dead”.

She said: “The accused’s father did not take the letter seriously, so he ripped it up and threw it away. He did however tell the accused about the contents of the letter.”

Three days later the victim was at home having a drink with a friend when Prosser Jr walked in and had an argument with him about the threats to his father.

After the row he left and called the police, telling them he had been threatened by the occupant of the nearby flat.

He gave his name and address and said he had knives and that if the victim did not leave the premises, he would kill him.

Prosser went home and his father tried to calm him down. The son went into the kitchen and came out holding a knife and told his father that he was going to kill Mr Rogers.

The father tried to stop him leaving but was unsuccessful and followed his son to the victim’s flat.

Prosser Jr walked straight in and stabbed the victim prompting his friend to run out and seek help.

The two men got into a struggle during which Mr Rogers was knifed repeatedly. Police arrived and detained the attacker who told them: “He threatened my dad.”

He also told officers: “My dad got a threatening letter from the guy. Dad was just trying to get money because my dad cut the guy’s grass.”

The murder bid victim was taken to hospital and found to have stab wounds to his chest, stomach, legs and left arm

Surgeons had to operate to repair lifethreatening chest and stomach wounds and to close the injuries to his limbs.

Judge John Morris QC deferred sentence for the preparation of a background report on Prosser, who is remanded in custody.

The victim was to pay the accused’s father £20, however he did not pay him. ADVOCATE DEPUTE LYNSEY MACDONALD