A NORTHWICH man who headbutted his neighbour after she parked outside his home has been jailed for 18 months.

Michael Cleverley, 49, formerly of Victoria Road, appeared at Chester Crown Court on Wednesday charged with ABH and criminal damage.

Cleverley had previously pleaded not guilty to ABH although he changed his plea before the trial. He pleaded guilty to criminal damage from the start of proceedings.

He was previously charged with intimidating a witness, though this was dropped.

On Wednesday, the court heard how Cleverley began placing traffic cones outside his home in 2015 to protect ‘his’ parking space due to ‘inconsiderate’ parkers.

On the evening of January 30, 2015, Cleverley went to the home of Sarah Wetherell and Stuart Todd – who lived opposite – to confront them after Mrs Wetherell parked outside his home.

Prosecuting, Paulinus Barnes, said: “He came in the house and was saying the he had to park his car in that space because he had CCTV installed and it would invalidate his insurance if he didn’t.”

The three of them stepped outside and Mr Barnes said Mrs Wetherell stepped inbetween her partner and Cleverley.

He said: “He drew back his forehead and head butted her face.

“He then said to Mr Todd ‘she shouldn’t have got so close. She shouldn’t have parked there’.”

Cleverley was arrested shortly after. He told police officers he asked his neighbours to move the car but they became aggressive.

He denied assaulting Mrs Wetherell, who had to have plastic surgery to correct her broken nose.

Several weeks after the initial incident, on February 9, Mrs Wetherell was in bed when she heard broken glass.

The court heard that CCTV installed revealed that a shot had been fired into one of their windows. Two air rifles were later confiscated from Cleverley’s home.

In a statement read out in court, Mrs Wetherell said her life has ‘changed almost beyond recognition’ following the two incidents.

Mrs Wetherell said she now takes medication for anxiety and depression, and regularly suffers panic attacks.

The statement said: “I have panic attacks so severe I am unable to leave the house.

“I don’t feel myself any more without the tablets, I am unable to lead as normal life.”

Defending, Simon Blakebrough, said Cleverley has a condition that makes him prone to involuntarily ticks, similar to Tourette’s syndrome, and makes it difficult for him to control his anger.

He said Cleverley, a part time HGV driver, has been treated for the condition since 2012.

Cleverley, who has now moved away from the area, was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Delivering his sentence, Judge Nicholas Woodward, said: “These offences have had a serious physical and emotional impact on Mrs Wetherell.

“She started to have serious panic attacks. Her confidence was completely undermined due to these offences.”

He sentenced Cleverley to 18 months imprisonment.