A glazing row! Window salesmen in street brawl
RIVAL double-glazing salesmen began brawling in an upmarket street while trying to compete for business, a court heard yesterday.
One of the men had to be taken to hospital after the three canvassers bumped into each other in Daniel Avenue, Dunblane, Perthshire.
Residents became so concerned by the violence that the police were called.
Stirling Sheriff Court was told that SRJ Windows salesman Darren Cross had an ‘ongoing disagreement’ with CR Smith repreor sentative Darren Reape.
Mr Reape, 27, had left SRJ four months earlier after a short period of working alongside Cross, 34, and Andrew Jenkins, 29.
Prosecutor Cheryl Clark said: ‘When he [Reape] was there, he didn’t get along with Mr Jenkins Mr Cross. I believe he had reported them to their manager over things that he didn’t like about them.
‘They weren’t on good terms. On the particular day in question, July 21, 2017, he was working for his new company in Dunblane. About 2pm, Cross and Jenkins, also working as door canvassers, were dropped off in the area by their manager and the parties came across one another.
‘Mr Cross and Mr Reape became involved in an argument, which became physical and a struggle broke out between them. This was a residential street. All the parties were in their work uniforms.
‘Due to the struggle going on between Mr Cross and Mr Reape, Mr Jenkins became involved and struck Mr Reape in the face.’
The depute fiscal said it was accepted that this blow was in defence of Cross, and it caused Mr Reape to fall to the ground.
Jenkins then repeatedly punched and kicked the rival salesman while he was on the ground.
Miss Clark said: ‘Bystanders in their gardens and people driving by could see this going on.’
The fracas then broke up. Jenkins and Cross left the area. Mr Reape was attended to by residents and police were called.
Paramedics took him to hospital, where it was initially feared he might have a fractured eye socket. An examination found nothing was broken, but the salesman had a black eye, swollen cheek and a cut over his eyebrow.
Jenkins and Cross, both of Dunfermline, Fife, had been set to face trial by jury yesterday, accused of assaulting Mr Reape by battering him repeatedly with a glass bottle and repeatedly punching, kicking and stamping on his head and body, causing impairment.
But the Crown agreed to accept a plea of not guilty from Cross, and a plea of guilty from Jenkins to a lesser charge of assaulting Mr Reape by punching and kicking him.
Sheriff Wyllie Robertson deferred sentence on Jenkins, who is now unemployed, until next month.
Outside court, Jenkins said: ‘It didn’t happen the way it sounded. It’s utter fabrication that he made reports about me, but it is what it is.’