Transcripts
These have been taken from AV recordings supplied to the police as evidence of the incident.

First, the visit to the neighbours' in the afternoon asking Sue what she was doing putting a bowl at the top of her neighbour's drive.

John: Hello Sue, I have a CCTV picture of you doing something. Can you tell me what you are doing there, please? { Shows video clip on a PDA. }

Sue: What I was doing? In your car port, John. I believe it was rats actually. Yes, I think it was rats.

John: I don’t think so. You’re putting something at the top of the drive.

Sue: Up yours’? Bin bags? No?

John: No, you were putting a saucer up the top of the drive.

Sue: Oh no, I’ll be honest with ya. I’ll tell ya, it was a little hedgehog.

John: A hedgehog?

Sue: Yes.

John: But it’s going to get run over.

Sue: I wasn’t put it down the bottom. ‘ere, down by mine.

John: You put it on my side. It’s going to get run over when I come up the drive.

Sue: Oh, I didn’t think. Yes. I love wildlife. ... feeding a little hedgehog what was hanging about here. I was feeding him. Yeah? Yes. Most probably a little thing that was. Yeah and I did go round there last night, night before because there ... I could hear things rustling in your car port and I don’t think it was a cat ... I think it was rats. In fact Sean he was washing his car about a month ago and under your kitchen window – he was washing his car one Sunday afternoon and he’s seen two or three rats under your window as well.

John: I have a video of him throwing rubbish on my garden ...

Sue: I know, I know. I’ve told him off about that. It’s Coke cans init?

John: Yes.

Sue: Yes. I’ve told him off about that and ‘is dad ‘as, John. Cos, I if you look on your CC again you may see that I have been out there on your drive getting them off.

John: I’ve not seen that.

Sue: No, I ‘ave. If you check back, I’ve been over there. He threw one in your hedge and I told him off.

John: He’s thrown a lot in there.

Sue: Sorry?

John: He’s thrown a lot in there.

Sue: Is he? Well I’ll have words with ‘im tonight. I don’t agree with that, John.

John: Well, when he was throwing something in the garden, you were right by him. You didn’t do anything then.

Sue: I did, I might have been telling him off, John. To get it out the ‘edge. I did come in one time and tell ‘is dad. “He’s throwing stuff over John’s ‘edge”. And his dad said “he better not be”. Yeah. I got ta go, John, because I got ta be at school at 3:20 at the school. But I am feeding a little hedgehog there, sometimes. But I haven’t seen ‘im these last few nights. But as for Sean with the rubbish

John: It seems a very strange thing to do.

Sue: hands up

John: ... porch at the top of the drive.

Sue: What do you mean, ‘ere? { Pointing to her side}

John: Here { pointing to his side}

Sue: That’s why he was the one time ...

John: There ...

Sue: Yeah. .. down there ...he was up and down there ... and I thought “I’ll feed ‘im”, yeah.

John: Well that sounds unbelievable.

Sue: On my life, John. I did put a little saucer down there and feed ‘im.

John: Well, I’ve shown it to the police and they think it very strange.

Sue: I was feeding little hedgehogs, John. And I’ll be honest if you are going to start moaning, John. To be honest. Sean – that was very bad. And he do want a good, bloody telling off for that. But the things that annoys ...

John: But putting something there is not a good idea, is it?

Sue: No, I did think about that after. But you weren’t there at the time. And I thought “oh, well it won’t hurt there ...”. Because he was ‘anging about there, John. That’s on my life.

John: ... But it’s liable to get run over ...

Sue: I did think of that after and I did take it off, if you notice. But if I put it ‘ere because then Sean is in and out and disturb it or I am with the dogs. That is the truth, John. I wouldn’t be doing nuthin’ else there except feeding a hedgehog and that is the truth, John.

John: Feeding a hedgehog?

Sue: On my, on my life, John. And I’m very honest. I’m not a liar, or nasty, John.

John: People think it very strange.

Sue: I don’t see nuthin’ strange in putting a little dish of food down for a hedgehog.

John: Well it is because it’s someone else’s garden. And it’s likely to get run over.

Sue: Well, I know but you are never ‘ere that much and this drive is always used and it’s always on yours’.

John: But you could put it there, couldn’t you?

Sue: Well.

John: It’s not going to get run over there.

Sue: I know, I know, I thought after. I can see it from there when the light comes on. You see, honest. I know it sounds .... but that is what I was doing. That is the honest, I am looking you in the face to say that is the honest truth, John.

John: It sounds very far-fetched to me.

Sue: Well, I’ll be honest, John, if you can moan all you like but I know when I am telling the truth. That is on my life. That is on my son’s life and I wouldn’t use that word lightly, not your own flesh and blood, John.

John: There have certainly been lots of things thrown in my garden.

Sue: That is bad. Hands up I’m being honest there. I’ve told ‘im off. And I’ve gone over there getting the cans off your drive, John.

John: Right.

Sue: I’ve even done a bit of weeding along there, see along the hedge, put a bit of weed killer down, back in the summer ... to be honest.

John: But when you pick weeds up, you’ve just thrown them in the garden ...

Sue: Yes, because they’re all over ...

John: But it doesn’t help though.

Sue: On my side than your side, John.

John: But, It doesn’t help, if

Sue: Yeah, I’m not being funny, John, really your garden – could do with being cut down. I don’t moan too much but other people in this village - how could you live by that terrible mess with your garden so lovely. And I don’t moan, John.

John: Yes, but your son throws a lot of rubbish in my garden ...

Sue: I know ... yes ...

John: ... which makes me feel disinclined to do anything about it.

Sue: That is bad, that is bad, yes. That is wrong, John. And if he does it again, I shall tell him you’ve come round and mentioned it, all right? So, ...

John: When I’ve shown videos of this to people, they’re not impressed with his behaviour.

Sue: Well, we’re not impressed with the mess we’ve got to live by, and rats you’re harbouring in that long grass, with all them weeds. See, I’ll be honest with you ...

John: But your throwing stuff in my garden doesn’t help.

Sue: No, that is, I didn’t do that, John. But you’ve, you’ve got a cheek coming round here ... saying this and that what I’m doing with a dish and people, uh, the hedgehog and there’s a terrible mess we got here, rats, ... and you’re making, you’re knocking the price down on my house.

John: But you’re throwing rubbish in my garden.

Sue: I’m not, John.

John: Your son is, then.

Sue: My son is. And I know that. And I’ve told him off. And if you ever ...

John: But he’s been doing it for years, though.

Sue: ... I ... he should know better now he’s older.

John: He should.

Sue: .. and he’ll be told about that when he comes in. I shall have words with him.

John: Right.

Sue: And I’ve got a good mind to send him round there to apologise.

John: Hmmm.

Sue: Right? That is wrong, John. But feeding a hedgehog, John I can’t see nuthin’ complicated about that.

John: But ...

Sue: I left it there because I thought John’s not around ...

John: That’s a strange reason to give though.

Sue: John is not around.

John: But it’s going to get run over when I come back, though.

Sue: Yeah, I thought you’re never hardly here much. I thought it won’t hurt there. ... up and down our drive a lot.

John: But it would be safe enough there. { Pointing to inside her car port at the top of her drive; not normally used by their cars. }

There’s not going to be a car there, is there?

Sue: Yeah, I wasn’t thinking, John. I wasn’t thinking. I got ta go John, cos I’m going to be late for work.

Second, the visit from the neighbours in the evening. Not quite the apology that Sue Hopkins was talking about, perhaps.

[ It started with Dave knocking hard on the glass door. ]

Dave: I’ll f**king get ‘im, I’ll tell you.

[ John opens door ]

Dave: What you f**king accusing my f**king missus of, pal. [ hits glass door twice ] What you f**king doing, I’ll ave you.

Sue: Dave, no.

Dave: What you accusing her of? [ hits glass door again ] Ay? What are you accusin’ ‘er of?

John: I’m not accusing her of anything.

Dave: What do you mean you’re not accusing her of anything? You put a phone to her face. I want to know what it’s all about. I’ll tell you John I’ll f**king ‘ave you mate. You’re picking on the wrong people ‘ere. I’ve got a f**king brother and f**king people that will kill you I’ll tell you.

John: I’ll explain.

Dave: This f**king shit hole we’re living next door to.

Sue: What you accusing me of, John, on your drive? You’ve upset me a lot.

John: It was very strange. I didn’t mean to upset you. You were putting ...

Sue: John, why was you staring

Dave: You’re ...

Sue: Shuush. Please, Dave. Dave, calm down. Shoosh, please Dave. Sean, you were not, Dave. Listen.

Dave: I’ll tell you what I’ll ‘ave you, I’ll f**king ‘ave ‘im if I get ‘alf a f**king chance.

Sue: John, what do you think I was doin’ on your drive?

John: It was puzzling. It was puzzling. Settle down, Dave.

Sue: Sean, pack it in {Sean has come out with a knife. }

Dave: F**king prat, Sean.

Sue: I wish I ‘adn’t said nuthin now. John ...

John: It was very strange you were putting some sort of saucer at the top of my drive.

Sue: Yeah, but ...

Dave: You’re in f**king trouble, pal.

Sue: I’m not ‘aving ...

John: It was strange.

Sue: You’re intimidating’ me, John.

John: I don’t mean .. I’m not intimidating you.

Sue: You, you was staring at me this afternoon very oddly.

John: No, I wasn’t.

[ After they gave out some more abuse they left with the following ]

Sue: I think it’s disgusting. Accused. I don’t know what he’s accusin’ me of.

Dave: I’ll tell you, if ‘e comes out there I’ll f**king kill ‘im

Dave [ looking at tyre Sean has slashed ]; That was a stupid, f**king thing to do, wasn’t it?

The above raises many questions. One of which is if Sue really believes that there are rats about (it is a rural location) why is she leaving out food after dark? Another is why are they throwing rubbish in their neighbour's garden? That will only create an environment for vermin.

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