Seething neighbour armed himself with 'machete' after 'cracking' in long-running Leeds flat feud

Stephen Sizeland banged on the door of the flat above his own on Fearnville Road in Gipton on the evening of January 17, 2021 after months of squabbles with the victim.

Answering the door, he saw Sizeland brandishing the large blade and panicked, grabbing the weapon but slicing his hand in the process. The victim had been filming Sizeland on his phone as he opened the door out of fear what would happen.

Prosecuting at Leeds Crown Court, Tonicha Allen said when Sizeland saw the camera, he became more angry and punched the man. Sizeland’s partner came up to separate the pair and the police were called.

Officers searched Sizeland’s flat and found a large kitchen knife, which Ms Allen said could have been mistaken for a machete.

Sizeland, 59, gave a no comment interview, but previously told officers: “I will admit hitting him but I never had a knife.”

He later admitted a charge of ABH and possession of a bladed article.

Mitigating on his behalf, Matthew Harding said he “conceded it was a serious offence” and that Sizeland had shown remorse, but said it was set against a background of feuding.

Mr Harding said: “In no way do I seek to excuse the conduct but it can’t be viewed in isolation.”

He said there were incidents over noise and petty parking issues. CCTV was played to the court showing the victim parking inches from Sizeland’s van at the roadside outside the block of flats, despite few other cars parked nearby. He was even seen getting out of his car several times to check how close he was, before getting back behind the wheel and inching even closer to the van each time.

He said Sizeland had kept a diary of problems with the neighbour on the advice of Leeds City Council, but had grown frustrated by what he saw as a lack of action. Mr Harding said: “He cracked and he knows he did.”

The judge, Recorder Anesh Pema accepted Sizeland was remorseful and it was out of character. He gave him 12 months’ jail suspended for 18 months, 120 hours of unpaid work and a two-year restraining order.