Man shot in the face with glue gun and Wakefield neighbour pushed into paddling pool during odd fracas

Couple Natalie Kitchen and Craig Vines became embroiled in the ongoing feud involving Kitchen’s dad and his neighbour, Leeds Crown Court heard this week.

Kitchen, 40, admitted a charge of affray, with 39-year-old Vines admitting a Section 4 public order offence.

Prosecutor Danielle Gilmour said Kitchen’s father and his neighbour on Denhale Avenue on the Flanshaw Estate area had spent years feuding.

On July 27, 2021, the neighbours, Michael Richards and his wife, had been working in their shed when an argument broke out with Kitchen’s father next door. He then phoned his daughter and her partner at the time, Vines, who arrived a short time later.

Kitchen kicked the back gate of the Richards’ home and there were verbal exchanges. Kitchen then began throwing debris into the garden and was brandishing a plank of wood.

The incident was caught on CCTV while Mrs Richards also filmed the incident on her phone. Mr Richards opened the gate to confront them and Vines pushed him backwards, causing him to trip into a paddling pool.

He quickly got to his feet and confronted them again, with Mrs Richards emerging with the glue gun and firing it at the couple, hitting Vines in the face and Kitchen’s clothing.

Kitchen then picked up another piece of wood and was swinging it around, catching Mrs Richards. Kitchen was then pulled away by her father who had called the police.

CCTV was analysed and it showed Mr Richards holding what the court confirmed to be a knife during the melee.

Mitigating for Vines, Anastasis Tasou said despite having previous convictions, Vines had stayed out of trouble for 12 years, and worked hard as an industrial-roof welder.

He said of the incident: “He had never before got involved [in the ongoing feud]. The mistake he made was turning up when he was asked to.

“We can probably infer that whatever he was told, it was probably exaggerated, given the history between the two parties.”

He said the extent of his involvement was that he pushed the victim into the paddling pool.

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For Kitchen, Susan Hirst, said she was “effectively a law-abiding lady” who works hard and looks after her children.

Miss Hirst added: “She is embarrassed that she behaved the way she did and is ashamed she is appearing in court. It’s fair to say nobody was behaving particularly well that day.”

Judge Anesh Pema described the incident as a “fracas” that “became completely out of control and absolutely unacceptable”. He also acknowledged it was “not one-sided”.

Vines, of Potter Avenue, Wakefield, was given a 12-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work. Kitchen, also of Potter Avenue, was also given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work.