parking mad This is the man who threatened to slit his neighbour's throat over a parking spot

This is the man found guilty of threatening to slit the throat of his neighbour over a parking dispute.

John James Graham (36), of Ballyvester Grove in Bangor, was found guilty of making the threat and was given a one-year restraining order.

When the Sunday World arrived at Graham's house this week, he was keen to put the issue to bed, saying "the court has dealt with it and as far as I'm concerned, it's over".

A woman who was in the house with Graham was not so relaxed about the incident, bizarrely accusing the Sunday World of "getting people killed".

 

Graham had contested the case at Newtownards Magistrates Court, which heard the incident happened at 12.45am on November 2 last year in the seaside town.

The argument arose after Graham and a neighbour had a falling out over a parking area, with the neighbour alleging Graham had threatened to "slit my throat".

However, Graham denied that he had threatened to kill his neighbour.

He denied any threats were made, and insists that he has done nothing wrong.

Bizarrely this week when the Sunday World called at Graham's door, the woman who was in the house at the time claimed the charges against Graham had been dropped, even though Judge Hamill said he "believed the prosecution witness" in the case and imposed a one-year conditional discharge.

The court heard that Graham made more threatening comments to his neighbour, who didn't leave his house, but rang the police and reported the incident.

The judge said he had imposed the conditional discharge in order to "try and keep a lid" on the situation.

jamie.mcdowell@sundayworld.com