Worcestershire grandfather jailed for attacking son in flower shop

An 82-year-old grandfather has been jailed after attacking his own son in a bitter eight-year-long feud over their rival flower businesses.

Raymond Hill shoved his son, Paul, 49, as he took a delivery of flowers and plants at his garden centre, which is yards from his father’s nursery in Worcestershire.

His outburst breached an earlier restraining order given to Hill for harassing his son who lives next door. The father and son have been locked in an eight-year long feud over their rival nursery businesses which they run from their homes.

Divorced Hill, who lives in a £400,000 four-bedroom detached house, was found guilty of assault and breaching a restraining order. He was jailed for two months at Worcester Crown Court on Tuesday and ordered to pay £250 costs. 

A court heard Hill was ‘bitter’ after Paul set up Brookfield Nurseries next door to his own High Bank Nurseries in Belbroughton. 

Paul Hill at Brookfield Nurseries

Raymond Hill (left) shoved his son, Paul (right), 49, as he took a delivery of flowers and plants at his garden centre, which is yards from his father’s nursery in Worcestershire

A court heard Hill was 'bitter' after Paul set up Brookfield Nurseries next door to his own High Bank Nurseries in the posh Worcestershire village of Belbroughton

A court heard Hill was ‘bitter’ after Paul set up Brookfield Nurseries next door to his own High Bank Nurseries in the posh Worcestershire village of Belbroughton

A picture of High Bank Nurseries in Worcestershire, owned by the father, Raymond Hill

A picture of High Bank Nurseries in Worcestershire, owned by the father, Raymond Hill

Paul Hill (pictured) said he had to take medication because of anxiety and stress

Paul Hill (pictured) said he had to take medication because of anxiety and stress

Judge Robert Juckes QC said Hill was ‘bitter’ because his son had set up a competing business on land he thought had been given to him.

He said: ‘He has been sent to prison once already in this sorry saga.

‘I’m really getting to my wits end as to what to do with you, I thought the only sensible thing was to give you one last chance.

‘I can’t possibly deal with this matter without imposing a custodial sentence.

‘If you go on committing these offences the sentences will simply get longer and longer.

‘There won’t be any second chance. If you come out of prison and do the same thing again I will simply have to double the sentence until you stop.’

The court heard Hill had repeatedly breached a restraining order which was first imposed on October 19, 2010.

On March 30, 2017, Paul saw his father staring at him over the fence which was also captured on CCTV, breaching the terms of the restraining order.

The fence separating the two nurseries. High Bank Nurseries owned by Raymond Hill is on the other side of the fence

The fence separating the two nurseries. High Bank Nurseries owned by Raymond Hill is on the other side of the fence

Raymond Hill (ringed) peering over the nursery fence in 2017.  He has been jailed for attacking his own son

Raymond Hill (ringed) peering over the nursery fence in 2017.  He has been jailed for attacking his own son

The order prevents him having contact with his son and his son’s wife, Joanne, looking over the boundary fence into their property and making derogatory statements.

The court heard Hill breached the restraining order in 2011, 2012 and 2013, and has five convictions for 14 offences.

He was jailed for 28 days in September 2012 after breaching the same restraining order.

Prosecutor Amiee Parkes said on May 5 last year Paul and a friend were taking a delivery from a lorry when Hill came outside and stood on the pavement and refused to move, obstructing the trolley loaded with flowers.

She said: ‘He (Hill) pushed Paul Hill to the chest and there was a verbal altercation.’

In a victim personal statement, Paul's wife Joanne, 43, said her father-in-law's presence intimidated her and she suffered from stress and anxiety as a result of his behaviour

In a victim personal statement, Paul’s wife Joanne, 43, said her father-in-law’s presence intimidated her and she suffered from stress and anxiety as a result of his behaviour

In a victim personal statement, Paul’s wife Joanne, 43, said her father-in-law’s presence intimidated her and she suffered from stress and anxiety as a result of his behaviour.

Miss Parkes added: ‘She says she doesn’t think the defendant is stable and doesn’t know what he’s capable of.’

Paul Hill said he had to take medication because of anxiety and stress.

Richard Hull, defending, said: ‘Mr Hill and his son effectively run competing nurseries and he initially came out of his home to remonstrate with the lorry driver as the lorry was parked in front of his property.’

Speaking after the case, Paul said: 'Ultimately a father and son relationship has broken down'

Speaking after the case, Paul said: ‘Ultimately a father and son relationship has broken down’

Speaking after the case, Paul said: ‘Ultimately a father and son relationship has broken down.

‘We worked together and unfortunately he has, over the years, become very bitter when I said I wanted to set up on my own.

‘Rather than him go to prison, I wish he would change and let us do what we have to do.

‘We have a little six-year-old boy who is seriously ill and I could do without it.

‘It’s just an added stress we could do without.

‘We just want to wake up, deal with life, and be allowed to work without a war going on next door.

‘All we are trying to do is work hard to pay the bills but my father isn’t letting us do this.

‘He’s of sound mind and he is just a bit of a bully. As a human being you can only take so much.

‘I quit the business in 2010 and started out on my own. I came to see him one day and said, ‘Just stop lying about us and stop spreading rumours and being horrible, you stay and work the business on the land.’

‘When you don’t want to do it anymore I can come back’ – it’s something I enjoy doing.

‘He insisted on going to court and got himself kicked off the land. He tells people I’ve kicked him out but he kicked himself off.

‘When the restraining order was given, the police woman said, ‘Blimey you have an indefinite one – they obviously see him as a problem and awkward character. He lives on his own now.

‘My mum Rita divorced him and she now lives with us and she is one of the sweetest people you could ever meet.

‘She apologises to me on a regular basis for the way he is.

‘I said, ‘It’s not your fault, he’s his own person, he chooses to be this way.’

‘It would be nice for people to realise, yes we have been through hell with him and the things he is coming out with are proven in the court of law to be untrue.

‘If he came round and said, ‘I’ve changed, I’m sorry for what happened’, I don’t hold grudges, but I don’t see him ever changing to be honest.’ 



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