AN 81-year-old man has been spared jail after hitting his neighbour with a rounders bat following a spat in their cul-de-sac.

Peter Lane, of Kirby Close in Poole, pleaded guilty to having an offensive weapon and assaulting his neighbour Garry Prince causing actual bodily harm.

During the hearing at Bournemouth Crown Court on Thursday, Judge Jonathan Fuller QC chastised both the victim and the defendant for their actions – describing it as “handbags in the cul-de-sac which spilled out onto the street”.

The court heard that there had been a long history of animosity between the two neighbours regarding a boundary dispute.

Speaking to the Echo after the hearing Lane said the dispute was over a pillar on his land.

Mr Prince had also previously been subject to a restraining order in relation to the Lane’s, which ran out in September 2015.

On May 3 last year the defendant was chatting with another neighbour on the cul-de-sac when he was approached by the Mr Prince.

The court heard that Mr Prince made “inappropriate, unpleasant and provocative” remarks about Lane’s wife Sally.

According to Mrs Lane, Mr Prince called her “ugly, fat and obese” and told her she would “get cancer and die”.

Judge Fuller commented that Mr Prince was inviting the defendant to fight him which is when he “lost it” and went to his car to retrieve a rounders bat.

Lane struck Mr Prince twice with the bat – once on the back of the legs and once on the forearm.

CCTV footage was shown in court which showed Mr Prince laughing after he was struck by the bat. He is believed to have suffered minor injuries.

According to Mrs Lane the ill feeling between the neighbours has been ongoing since 2007 when Mr Prince moved into the property, but this is the first time the pair have come to blows.

When handing down his sentence Judge Fuller said: “In response to Mr Prince’s offer to ‘sort things out’ there and then you rose to the challenge and went to your car and took out the bat.

“From the CCTV it is clear you had the good sense not to hit him on the head with the bat, but then you hit him on the back of the leg. You didn’t have the presence of mind to ignore him or move away.

“What makes this sadder is you are not a couple of teenagers. Mr Lane you are 81-years-old and Mr Prince is a mature man. For two men to behave in that way is disgraceful.

“One of the frustrations I have is that I cannot impose an order which would ensure either both of you come to your senses or face some criminal sanction.

“In future I hope you both take the proper course of action if there is harassment you will seek help and assistance from the authorities.

“Look to yourselves to see if you want a peaceful life or if you’re going to invite trouble.”

Lane was given a conditional discharge for 12 months.