A nursing home manager threatened a man with a machete during an argument in Swindon.
The incident happened in Oxford Road last Tuesday (24 August), with police officers racing to reports of a man threatening to hit another man with a large knife.
Yogindranath ‘Yogi’ Abhee, 61, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court today (2 September) where he pleaded guilty to making threats with a weapon and threatening behaviour.
Crown prosecutor Kate Prince said the defendant, of Green Lane, Purley, Croydon, is having building work undertaken at his small development of flats in Oxford Road.
A neighbour, who claims he has endured a great deal of distress as a result of the construction site, came outside after a Jewson lorry partially blocked his driveway. Noticing the mud across the ground near his home, the victim began shouting in Abhee’s face.
The heated argument escalated out of control when the defendant went to his brother’s vehicle and produced a machete along with the threat: “I’ll hit you with this if you don’t do away”.
After waving the bladed weapon around for a short time, he returned it to the vehicle. The victim then took a photograph of knife before calling the police.
Officers attended the scene and Abhee handed over the machete. As a result, he was arrested and taken to Gablecross Police Station for questioning.
In custody, he admitted his crime stating he was “scared and intimidated”.
Defence solicitor Emma Thacker said her client will see the consequences of his actions for many years to come, especially given that he is a registered care home manager.
“He has been working on site of five of six flats, working to turn them into flats, and there has been an ongoing disagreement about how that is being done”, she told the court.
Adding: “It’s mud left on the road that’s caused this issue. Mr Abhee has told Mr [redacted] before to just come and speak to him, but the neighbour has always taken a defensive stance.
“Mr Abhee is a registered nurse, as is his wife, and they own a nursing home. He has invested his life savings in buying property ahead of retirement as an investment.”
When magistrates questioned why the defendant had access to a machete, Ms Thacker replied: “It was in the back of his brother’s vehicle, in the car to help with gardening and clearing debris along with other tools in the boot.”
The bench sentenced Abhee to a one-year community order with 200 hours of unpaid work.
