Neighbours at war in exclusive street, court told

Published on Monday 28 September 2009 22:45

A HOUSEWIFE from one of Edinburgh's most affluent areas told a court yesterday of her fear as she was confronted by her "very drunk" GP neighbour and his "wild animal" wife.

Rosaline Kinder, 48, said Dr John McCallum, 49, blocked the way when she tried to reverse into her driveway, and she sounded her horn as a distress signal to her husband Guy, who, although suffering from cancer, went to her aid.

Michele McCallum, 49, also arrived on the scene, Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard, and she allegedly banged repeatedly on the car, screamed and laughed.

"I was very scared. I knew this was just another fun day for the McCallums … there was a sense of euphoria around," said Mrs Kinder.

The court was told of a history of trouble between the neighbours in Napier Road, Merchiston, and Mrs Kinder denied suggestions that she had very nearly knocked down children from next door earlier that day.

She also rejected claims that she was "paranoid" and allowing her imagination to run riot in her evidence.

"We have tried everything … they refused to mediate. My husband wrote a letter when he was on chemotherapy asking Dr McCallum if his family could please leave him alone," said Mrs Kinder.

The McCallums are each charged with committing a breach of the peace on 25 September last year in Napier Road and with acting in an intimidating manner towards Mrs Kinder.

The couple were allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time. They deny all charges.

Mrs Kinder said she had been to collect her son, aged five, and returned at about 6pm. She noticed Dr McCallum "hanging around", something she thought was "really odd".

As she reversed towards her electric gates, and pressed a key fob for the gates to open, McCallum sauntered behind her car and positioned himself between it and the gate. She sounded her horn to alert her husband.

"I called out to Guy to phone the police. I was extremely worried for his safety because he was on very heavy medication as he has cancer. I saw John McCallum move closer towards him. I saw he was drunk and thought if he hit Guy … I thought he was in real danger."

Mrs Kinder said Mrs McCallum appeared from her house, and went to her car and began to sound its horn, imitating Mrs Kinder's distress signals.

Mrs Kinder told the court: "It was parked outside our house, another form of intimidation. She puts her car outside our house. I watched her laughing as she was sounding her horn. She came over to my car and tried to pull the door open time after time.

"I thought she was going to hit me. assault me. She looked fierce. It was like a wild animal, yet it was laughing, too."

Cross-examined by defence agent Vincent Belmonte, for Dr McCallum, Mrs Kinder agreed that the couple had given a report to the police alleging she had come out of her driveway too fast and had almost knocked down three children.

"That was not true. The police came and looked at the CCTV footage (from the Kinder house] and were satisfied nothing had happened," said Mrs Kinder.

David Blair-Wilson, for Mrs McCallum, suggested that everything in Mrs Kinder's evidence was exaggerated.

She disagreed, and said she believed Dr McCallum had been waiting for her.

"Were you not just being a bit paranoid? A respected GP and his wife with no previous convictions, and you are asking the court to believe he was drunk at 6pm, gearing up to hit you."

Mrs Kinder replied: "They were waiting for me, that's what makes it really, really sick."

The trial was adjourned until next week.