A heated disagreement over car engine noise and exhaust fumes in Poundbury, Dorset, escalated into a courtroom battle this week as a pensioner claimed he acted in self-defence after a violent confrontation with his neighbours.
Sekhar Sootarsing, 69, is standing trial at Bournemouth Crown Court for allegedly causing actual bodily harm to 83-year-old Ingrid Wright-Holmes, which he denies.
The altercation, which occurred in May 2024, has divided witness accounts and left the peaceful King Charles model town shaken.
The Dispute That Sparked the Violence
The incident began when the Wright-Holmes couple were enjoying a quiet evening with a glass of wine in their back garden.
Their peace, however, was interrupted by Sootarsing’s Ford Mustang, which had been running for 25 minutes, sending fumes into their outdoor space.
Irritated by the situation, the couple walked over to Sootarsing’s flat to ask him to turn off the car.
In a police interview read in court, Sootarsing said he felt provoked by Mrs Wright-Holmes’ attitude and described the fumes as “obnoxious.”
He told PC Christina Macken that when the couple rang his doorbell, he was inside, and the prolonged ringing lasted 15 seconds.
A Violent Confrontation
According to Sootarsing, tensions escalated quickly.
He said Christopher Wright-Holmes, 83, brandished his walking stick “like a rifle” and struck him on the arm and stomach.
During the struggle over the stick, Sootarsing claimed Mrs Wright-Holmes punched him in the head, prompting him to respond with a blow to get her away.
He told police: “I didn’t even look at her. I just lashed out with my right hand to create space so I could deal with the walking stick. It was self-defence.”
Mrs Wright-Holmes denies attacking Sootarsing during the May 11, 2024 incident in Chaseborough Square.
Witness Accounts Paint a Different Picture
Several witnesses gave statements contradicting Sootarsing’s version. Ivan Ivanko, a Ukrainian national, said he rushed to the scene after hearing loud voices.
Through an interpreter, he described seeing Mrs Wright-Holmes on the ground with a bloodied lip while Sootarsing swore repeatedly. Ivanko described Sootarsing as “an aggressive and dangerous man.”
Another witness, Matthew Waters, who was walking past with his young children, reported seeing Mrs Wright-Holmes step forward and “jab her finger” at Sootarsing before she fell to the ground.
He heard both sides accusing each other of assault and intervened, asking the men to calm down.
Trial Continues
The trial is ongoing, with both sides presenting conflicting accounts of the events that turned a quiet neighbourhood dispute into a serious court case.
The courtroom is set to hear further testimony as it seeks to determine whether Sootarsing acted in self-defence or whether the confrontation went too far.