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07
Aug
Man strangled neighbour after early morning bin row in Starbeck
A Knaresborough man has admitted strangling his former neighbour after a dispute over household bins.
Steven Mowat, 42, pleaded guilty to common assault and intentional strangulation at Harrogate Magistrates Court today (August 7).
Mel Ibbotson, prosecuting, told the court the named woman victim was Mowat’s neighbour at the time of the offences.
The incident occurred at a property in the Starbeck area, but Mowat gave the court an address in Knaresborough as his current residence.
The court heard Mowat moved into the property around five years ago. During that time the woman had a number of issues with him, including the defendant “constantly screaming that he is going to kill someone”.
The threats are not directed at a particular individual but they scared the woman, Ms Ibbotson said.
She added:
The defendant takes his bins out of his flat in the early hours and wakes [woman] up.
Mowat took his bins out at around 4.30am on March 20 this year, which, again, woke the victim up.
The woman then went to the door and asked Mowat: “can’t you put your bins out like every other person?”
Mowat accused the woman of smelling of alcohol at the time and, although the woman admitted she had a drink the night before, she was adamant she was not drunk.
Ms Ibbotson told the court Mowat then grabbed the victim from behind and wrapped his arm around her neck.
The woman could not get away from him and believed he was going to “bang her head on the door”.
Mowat and the victim fell through the door, causing the woman to land on the floor and Mowat to land on top of her. This also caused the woman to bang her head.
Ms Ibbotson said:
The defendant then wrapped his left arm around her neck whilst they were on the floor and had her in a chokehold with both arms. The defendant told [victim] he was going to kill her.
The woman pleaded with Mowat to let her go, eventually telling him she "would not bother him anymore” if he did.
After Mowat let go of the woman, he walked away but soon came back with a slipper, which he threw at the victim.
The woman tried to call 101 but there was no answer, the court heard, so she decided to go to work at 7.30am to get away from the property.
Once at work, the victim called the police and her colleague took her blood pressure.
An ambulance was also called due to the woman having high blood pressure, but she declined to go to hospital and instead said she would book an appointment with her doctor.
The victim did not sustain any injuries to her neck, the court heard.
Ms Ibbotson told the court the woman is scared to go home due to the incident and has been staying with a friend.
‘He lost it’
Andrew Tinning, defending, said Mowat had never been in trouble with the police.
“As Mr Mowat describes it, he just lost it in that moment due to the argument”, Mr Tinning added.
The court heard Mowat does not know why he acted the way he did and claims he has never behaved like that before.
The defendant has since referred himself to a therapist to try and understand his actions, the court heard.
The case was adjourned until September 12 for a pre-sentence report to be prepared, when Mowat will return to Harrogate Magistrates Court.
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