Pensioner soaked 4X4 driving mum
By Steven Bell

AN irate pensioner soaked a woman with water from a hosepipe in a parking row, a court heard.

Stephanie Saunders upset William Townsend, 72, when she left her 4x4 outside his home on Hayfell Avenue, Kendal, while she went to her son’s sports’ day at Heron Hill Primary School.

Prosecuting, Lisa Hine told South Lakeland Magistrates Court that Mrs Saunders was aware of parking problems in the street but made sure she had not blocked Townsend’s driveway.

The court heard that an announcement was made at the sports day that there was a parking issue and the registration of Mrs Saunders’ vehicle was called out by the head teacher.

Mrs Saunders explained to the head teacher that there was nowhere else to park and left her 4x4 where it was.

The court was told that when she did return to the vehicle, with her children and a friend, Townsend, who was washing his car, said: “Can’t you park that bloody thing somewhere else?”

Magistrates heard that Mrs Saunders replied: “No, I have every right to park here – it’s a public highway and, if I wanted to, I could park a bus here.” Ms Hine said Townsend responded by saying: ‘Is that right, you slag?’ and squirted water from a hosepipe at her car.

Mrs Saunders objected to the remark and said he should not have spoken to her in that way because he did not know her.

Ms Hine said Townsend had replied, repeating the insult, before squirting her with the hosepipe, soaking her head, shoulder and arm.

“She was shocked by what this man had done,” said Ms Hine. “The water was freezing cold.”

Mrs Saunders’s friend called the police and Townsend was charged with assault.

In mitigation, Nicholas Renshaw said Townsend did not intend to squirt water at Ms Saunders, and that he said she swore at him. “He found it very offensive. He is 72-years-old and it was language he was not used to hearing,” said Mr Renshaw.

“This large vehicle was parked outside his house for two-and-a-half hours and it was very difficult for him to get out because the road was narrow. He should have paid more attention to what he was doing. He admits this woman got slightly wet but it was not a drenching and it was not intentional.”

Townsend pleaded guilty to assault and magistrates handed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £85 costs.

The court made no order for him to pay compensation as magistrates believed there was ‘an element of provocation’.

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