Canterbury Crown Court, where Richdale's case was heard

by Paul Hooper

The fireworks that went off on Bonfire Night in Folkestone last year weren’t contained to the usual public and private shows.

In Sandgate Road, on November 5, drunken Robert Richdale launched his own "explosives"show after erupting in anger - when a neighbour’s barking dog set him off.

Furious Richdale pelted his neighbour's window with stones; lunged at his victim with a knife and held the weapon to the animal's throat in an angry outburst.

Richdale – also known as Richard Lewis – launched a vicious attack on his neighbour after the two rowed about the pet.

The 63-year-old, who admitted possessing an offence weapon, making a threat to damage property and affray, confronted neighbour Dejah Djordjevic near their homes.

Prosecutor Jim Harvey told Canterbury Crown Court how Richdale began shouting at the victim at 10.30am, complaining he had been kept awake by the dog's barking.

“The complainant chose to ignore him because he didn’t want matters to progress any further. Three and a quarter hours later, Richdale began being abusive again standing outside the victim’s house and banging on the windows.”

"you were drunk and you had a knife. you had that weapon deliberately to threaten your neighbour" – judge heather norton

Richdale then began throwing stones at the window before returning at 4pm when Mr Djordjevic was out walking his dog – hurling more abuse from his neighbour’s front door.

“He then began walking towards his victim – armed with a knife. The victim, not surprisingly asked: “What are you going to do with that knife?’

“The defendant replied: ‘I am going to kill you!’ He then lunged at the complainant who ran into his back garden still being chased by Richdale.”

Mr Harvey told how Richdale then grabbed the dog and held the knife at its neck – before releasing it unharmed.

Another neighbour also heard him screaming: “I’ll cut you. I’ll cut you”.

Richdale, who has already served a two-year jail sentence for illegally possessing a firearm in another neighbour dispute, revealed that before the attacks he had downed 12 cans of strong lager after having “ a sleepless night”.

His barrister Kieran Brand said: “He knows what he did was wrong and that he went over the top. He is sorry.”

Judge Heather Norton ordered him to stay away from his neighbour for the next five years, and told him: “You were drunk and you had a knife. You had that weapon deliberately to threaten your neighbour.

“Your victim must have been terrified and your actions could have had far greater consequences. A report on you concludes you are an egocentric who puts your own needs first. You have no empathy and you have shown no remorse.”