Two men wrestled with a moving chainsaw in a row over smoke from a bonfire.

Owen Martin was left with cuts to his thighs after Robert Sansom, 51, of Coggeshall, grabbed for the "lethal weapon", Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

Matthew Owens, prosecuting, said Martin and Dudley Wheeler were working for Coggeshall Parish Council tidying up Vicarage Fields - a wooded area near allotments behind Sansom's house in West Street.

The two men were coppicing trees - thinning them and burning the brushwood.

Mr Owens said: "Sansom approached Mr Martin and complained about the smoke being blown into his garden over his wife's washing."

Twenty minutes later Mr Martin looked up to see Sansom leading his dog away by a rope, he added.

A row broke out during which Sansom put the length of rope around Mr Martin's neck then left him to go back into his house.

Shortly after Sansom and his wife came out again, plainly upset and angry, and went up to Mr Martin who was cutting logs with a chainsaw, the court heard.

"Sansom grabbed hold of the chainsaw and it was still operating. The chainsaw came into contact with Mr Martin's leg before he could turn it off," Mr Owens said.

Sansom was aggressive and swearing throughout and told Mr Martin: "I will get you for this", Mr Owens said.

Sansom was arrested and in a police interview said Mr Martin had been arrogant and sarcastic and his dog had been running all over the allotments and his plot, the court heard.

Sansom claimed Mr Martin punched him more than three times to his body and had threatened him and his wife with the chainsaw, Mr Owens said.

"Sansom said he grabbed Mr Martin to force him to put the chainsaw down," Mr Owens added.

Sansom admitted causing Mr Martin actual bodily harm.

Sansom was conditionally discharged for a year, ordered to pay £180 compensation and £75 costs.

Gareth Hughes, mitigating, said: "There was a complaint made about smoke going on to the washing but nothing was done about it. Mr Martin's response only further irritated and infuriated Sansom and his wife. And nothing was done to put the dog under control."

He said Samson grabbed Mr Martin's wrist which was holding the chainsaw because he wanted Mr Martin to listen and turn the chainsaw off.

Mr Hughes said Sansom accepted he acted recklessly and it was fortunate the injuries were not more severe.

Recorder Robert Blomfield said: "This situation could so easily have got out of hand. Mr Martin could so easily have lost a leg.

"A chainsaw is a lethal weapon and your actions were, to say the least, exceedingly stupid."

Recorder Blomfield added: "I say to Mr Martin that his actions were less than intelligent. He to some extent can bear some of the blame for what happened that day."

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