A man attacked his neighbour amid a petty row about parking before he scratched, bit and spat at police officers as they arrested him in an ‘utterly appalling’ melee.
Andrew Vance, 54, confronted his long-term neighbour as he sat in his car before walking up to him and shutting the door on his arm. After the man told him he didn’t want to discuss the parking situation any further, Vance, of Burnage, punched him three times in the face, Manchester Crown Court heard.
After 15 minutes the police arrived to arrest him. Initially appearing calm and cooperative, Vance launched into a violent attack, which saw him scratch one officer, bite another and spit at a third. Fortunately there were no serious injuries.
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Today (October 18) Vance was handed a suspended sentence.
Prosecuting, Neil Ronan said Vance and his neighbour had known each other for 14 years. The man had parked up in the shared parking space when he was approached by Vance on July 1, 2022. Vance shouted to him: “Have you got that letter about the parking?” to which the man replied that he had.
Vance then said: “Won’t be able to park there for much longer”, to which the man replied that the parking was for residents.
“The defendant approached the car and closed the door on the man’s arm, causing pain to his elbow,” Mr Ronan said. “The man was scared the defendant was going to further assault him so wound his window down and said: “Andrew, I don’t want to discuss it any further”.
“He [Vance] then punched him to the right side of his face three times and said: 'won’t let you get away with this'”.
The man was left in pain and couldn’t hear properly following the attack. He drove to the entrance of the parking area before calling 999.
Two officers initially arrived and went into Vance’s flat to arrest him. He appeared calm at first, though officers later described him as ‘arrogant’ as he said: “It’s OK, this little boy doesn’t know what he’s doing.”
He was escorted downstairs and was still compliant but when the police van arrived with two further officers, events escalated.
“As they attempted to get him into the van he became aggressive, flailing his arms and scratching at the officers. They managed to get him into handcuffs, at this point he started to kick out at the officers and assaulted all of the emergency workers,” the prosecutor continued.
During the attack he was making comments such as “yes have that, have that” and, at one stage, bit an officer on the calf.
As he was taken to custody at Cheadle police station, he continued being abusive, calling the officers: “A bunch of fat c***” and spat at another one of the officers. Vance has since pleaded guilty to assault by beating of his neighbour, and five offences of assaulting an emergency worker.
Defending, Michael Goldwater said his client suffers from PTSD.
“Combined by the fact he was harassed as a gay man in the early 1990s in Manchester, when there is police intervention, he can be subject to experiences,” he said.
“He is not essentially a violent man, he lives at home, his mother supports him. He is not the sort of person who goes out to clubs and puts himself in a situation where he can get into difficulty.”
Recorder Daniel Lister said: “In short, you had a dispute with your neighbour to do with parking that erupted into entirely unnecessary violence. Your behaviour, frankly, was utterly appalling.
“They were carrying out their duties as part of their employment. I’m sure you appreciate in the cold light of day that behaviour was entirely unacceptable.”
Vance, of St Helier Square, was handed four months imprisonment which was suspended for 12 months, along with 120 hours unpaid work and 10 days of rehabilitation activity requirement days.
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