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A pensioner whose neighbour attacked him with a garden hose says he lives in fear of further attacks.

John Tait called police after his next door neighbour sprayed him in the face.

The 67-year-old, of The Avenue in Shoreham, said his health has deteriorated since the attack.

Financial adviser Bob Cornwall, 42, admitted common assault and was given an official caution.

Mr Tait had confronted Mr Cornwall because his neighbour has cut down branches which fell in his garden.

He said Mr Cornwall then sprayed him twice from close range before turning the hose on to his frightened wife.

Linda, 63, managed to get into the house before she was hit and screamed she was going to call the police.

The retired insurance worker said: "The previous day my wife was amazed to find lots of branches from our tree which overhangs his garden on our lawn.

"The following morning he was cleaning his car and I quietly approached him and said, we cleared up that mess you made on our lawn'.

"We exchanged words and then he came towards me with the hose pipe jet and sprayed me down the body and leg.

"I tried to back away but he got me again. He was about two to three feet away and it did hurt."

Relations have been strained since Mr Cornwell, a financial adviser, moved into the street two and a half years ago.

Father of three Mr Tait, who has lived at the house for 22 years, said the neighbours fell out over a boundary issue.

He said Mr Cornwall claims the tree at the bottom of his garden belongs to him and should not be a part of Mr Tait's property.

Following the incident on February 23, Mr Cornwell was not charged and was allowed to return home.

But Mr Tait said police were called again on March 2 when Mr Cornwell knocked down part of his fence which separated the two gardens.

He said: "We have always tried to get on with him because we got on famously with the people who used to live there and we also get on well with all our other neighbours.

"We don't feel safe in our own home any more because we don't know what he'll do next."

Last week Mr Cornwall told The Argus he sprayed Mr Tait "without thinking".

Mr Cornwall said a police officer tried to get him to agree he had committed common assault.

He said: "By this time I was in shock about the whole thing.

"All I could think was that it was completely ridiculous so I thought it would be easiest if I just admitted assault."

andy.whelan@theargus.co.uk

10:37am Thursday 27th March 2008

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