Plum's noisy washing machine

Balamory star attacked in street
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/3771295.stm

The actor who plays PC Plum in BBC children's television show Balamory told a court how he was attacked during a long-running feud with a neighbour.

Andrew Agnew, 27, said he was chased and smacked with a snooker cue outside his Glasgow home by the brother of his former downstairs neighbour.

John Watson, 31, was found guilty of breach of the peace and assault at the city's sheriff court.

Sentence was deferred until later in the month for reports.

Noisy neighbours

Mr Agnew, whose character keeps law and order in the television show, had decided to pack up and leave the flat for good prior to the attack last June.

The court heard how the actor and his partner Robert Telford had a long-running dispute with neighbour Pauline Watson in their tenement block in Aitken Street, Dennistoun.

Miss Watson complained the pair regularly had their TV blaring and had a noisy tumble drier.

She asked her father James Watson and brother John to speak to the couple.

After trying to speak to her neighbours, her brother ended up trying to kick their door in and threatened the men with violence.

Packed up

Mr Agnew and Mr Telford decided to move out completely as a result of the abuse.

Later the same day, as they packed up their belongings, James and John Watson raced up beside them in a car. John leapt from the vehicle brandishing a snooker cue.

Mr Telford ran off in fear but the Balamory star was hit on the arm and side by the weapon, leaving him with cuts and bruises.

Mr Agnew was later hit on the head, causing his mobile phone to smash, but said he did not know who had carried out that attack.

He said: "We were getting ready to go when he just came at me.

"He was shouting we were the ones who were harassing his sister but that just was not true.

'Threatening manner'

"Some of the things we were supposed to have done were unbelievable."

Mr Telford added: "This man was menacing and acting in a threatening manner both times.

"Our neighbour downstairs seemed to have a constant problem with us but we never had any bother with her."

John Watson, of Barmulloch, Glasgow denied being involved but was found guilty by Sheriff John Penman.

The sheriff said: "I am prepared to accept the complainers' accounts and cannot see any reason not to believe them."