Derbyshire man threatened to shoot neighbour’s dog in long-running noise row

Jordan Hickman saw red when his neighbour's son spun his car wheels outside his home on Kingsway, Heanor, at 7pm on July 20, 2020, said prosecutor Kevin Jones.

He began arguing with another member of the family before fetching a knife with an eight-inch blade and putting it to his own wrists, throat and face.

Hickman was on bail for that offence when his neighbour's dog began barking, at 1.45pm, on February 8, this year.

He shouted: "Sort your f****** dog out you stupid b****." at the woman who lived nextdoor.

She called her husband who returned home. Hickman threatened to shoot the dog and told him to wait while he went for a gun.

The neighbour heard a bang - which he assumed was a gunshot. In fact, it was Hickman "childishly" banging a door, his barrister, Jeremy James, said.

Police seized a blank-firing pistol from Hickman’s home, but he didn't use it on that occasion.

The Nottingham Crown Court heard Hickman and his neighbours had complained about each other, but there was no history of violence. Hickman has seven previous convictions which include assaulting a police officer, in 2009, and affray, in 2015.

"He makes no excuses," Mr James said. "He frankly told me he's been where he's been because of his own fault. Both these offences and his previous offending suggest he is a man with quite a lot of mouth – but mercifully not the trousers to back it up."

He said Hickman has mental health issues and turned the knife on himself.

"This defendant is in difficult circumstances at Nottingham prison," said Mr James. "He is in a better place for undertaking counselling and therapy. He is looking forward to being reunited with his partner and children after being separated them for five months."

Hickman, 30, of Kingsway, Heanor, pleaded guilty to possession of a blade and affray.

Judge Steven Coupland told him: “Ironically the time you have spent in custody has been useful to you.”

He sentenced him to 15 months in prison, suspended for two years, with 15 rehabilitation days.

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