Man is jailed after attacking Ipswich neighbour over dog mess row

A man who grabbed his neighbour by the throat after she complained about his dog fouling in a communal area at their block of flats in Ipswich has been jailed for four months.

Katie Page knocked on Darren Paul’s front door at around 8am on September 19 last year after seeing his Staffordshire bull terrier running unaccompanied around a communal garden at their flats in Weaver Close, Ipswich Crown Court was told.

When she confronted Paul about his dog fouling in the communal area he lost his temper and told her he had been living there for 13 years while she had only been there a few months.

Paul then held her against a wall by her neck, causing two scratches, and she reacted by punching him.

He then punched her causing an injury to her lower lip and she bit his hand in a bid to release his grip on her.

During the incident Miss Page banged her knee causing bruising.

Paul, 48, of Weaver Close, Ipswich denied assaulting Miss Page by beating but was found guilty after a trial and sentence was adjourned until yesterday for a pre-sentence report to be prepared on him.

He admitted being in breach of a suspended sentence order and was jailed for a total of four months.

Jailing him, Judge John Devaux said Paul had a history of committing offences of violence and breaching court orders.

Giving evidence during his trial, Paul claimed Miss Page attacked him and he had been acting in self-defence.

He accused her of being like “an octopus”, with her arms and legs flailing at him.