A quiet Dorset neighbourhood turned unexpectedly violent when a noise dispute between elderly neighbours erupted into a physical confrontation.
The incident, which happened in King Charles’ model town of Poundbury, has left one pensioner in court claiming self-defence, while the other insists she was attacked.
The Row That Sparked Trouble
It all began when the Wright-Holmes couple, Ingrid, 83, and her husband Christopher, 83, were enjoying a peaceful glass of wine in their back garden.
Their calm evening was interrupted by the roar of a Ford Mustang engine and fumes drifting over from next door.
After about 25 minutes, the couple decided to confront their neighbour, 69-year-old Sekhar Sootarsing, asking him to switch the engine off.
According to court testimony, the noise had been bothering the Wright-Holmes for some time, and Ingrid expressed her frustration directly to Sootarsing, who responded with a blunt “get stuffed.”
Allegations of Violence Fly
Things escalated when Christopher Wright-Holmes allegedly brandished his walking stick “like a rifle” and struck Sootarsing on the arm and stomach.
In the struggle that followed, Sootarsing claimed Ingrid punched him in the face, prompting him to hit her back to protect himself.
Sootarsing told police, “I didn’t even look at her. I just lashed out with my right hand and hit her.
I don’t know if it was a punch or slap but my intention was to get her away from me so I could focus on the walking stick. It was self-defence.”
The 83-year-old woman ended up on the ground with a bloodied lip, and Sootarsing now faces one count of causing actual bodily harm, which he denies.
Neighbour’s Accounts of the Incident
Witnesses painted a chaotic picture. Ukrainian national Ivan Ivanko rushed to the scene after hearing loud voices.
Speaking through an interpreter, he described Sootarsing — whom he knows as Vinny — as swearing aggressively at the couple.
“I went to film what was happening on my phone, and when I looked up, the woman was on the ground covered in blood,” Ivanko said. “Vinny was an aggressive and dangerous man.”
Another witness, Matthew Waters, was walking past with his children and saw Ingrid jabbing her finger at Sootarsing before she fell to the ground.
Waters heard a tense exchange: Mr Wright-Holmes shouted, “he’s assaulted my wife,” while Sootarsing countered, “she assaulted me.” Waters tried to intervene to calm the situation.
Sootarsing’s Side of the Story
Sootarsing explained that he was inside his flat when the couple rang his doorbell and held it down for 15 seconds.
He claimed the confrontation wasn’t premeditated but a reaction to being attacked and intimidated.
He also mentioned that his partner Annabel had been running the Mustang engine, not him personally.
“He [Christopher] lifted up his walking stick like a rifle and struck me on the arm and stomach.
I grabbed his walking stick to stop him, and that is when the lady punched me on the left side of the head and bruised my temple,” Sootarsing said. “It was self-defence.”
Trial Continues Amid Conflicting Stories
Mrs Wright-Holmes denies hitting Sootarsing, leaving the court to unravel conflicting accounts.
The trial at Bournemouth Crown Court is ongoing, as witnesses and neighbours provide testimony about the emotionally charged clash that turned violent.