A 72-year-old woman was pushed to the ground in a Dundee close after a row over noise descended into violence.
David Valentine, 25, admitted knocking down the pensioner in the flat block on Duncraig Road shortly after 26-year-old Lacey Marr ripped a clump of hair from another resident’s head.
A court heard how Marr and the woman she attacked had been embroiled in a long-running dispute over noise levels.
When the woman’s husband tried to intervene, Valentine punched him while clutching a mobile phone.
Valentine then pushed to the ground the pensioner who was blocking his path as he tried to leave the building.
Both Marr and Valentine are awaiting sentence after they pled guilty to carrying out the September 27,2020 assaults.
Ripped hair from head
Fiscal depute Emma Farmer told Dundee Sheriff Court how Marr and the woman began fighting at around 10pm on the evening in question.
She said: “During an argument, the accused Marr grabbed the complainer by the hair and caused part of her hair to be removed from her head.
“She then punched her on the shoulder.
“Clumps of hair were removed from the crown of her head.
“When that was taking place, the complainer’s partner went to intervene and as he did so, the accused Valentine punched him on the head.
“He suffered a superficial cut to the bridge of his nose.”
As he was leaving, Valentine pushed the 72-year-old woman on the body causing her to fall to the ground.
Noise dispute
Marr, of Craigmount Place, Dundee and Valentine, of Bayview Road, Invergowrie, pled guilty to assault.
“There had been a build-up of tension before this,” Marr’s solicitor David Duncan said.
“There would often be a young child running around the communal areas and in Miss Marr’s flat. She lived above the complainer.
“There had been a dispute about noise in the building.
“Miss Marr’s view was the child was making normal amounts of noise.
“Her position is that when she is going in to the property, the neighbour comes to her front door, an argument immediately ensues and matters arise from there.”
Paul Parker-Smith, representing Valentine, said: “He found himself embroiled in this.
“The disturbance in the close attracted the attention of other neighbours.
“He was trying to get away and he pushed past the complainer.”
Sheriff Lorna Drummond QC deferred sentence on the pair until January for reports to be prepared.
