A SOUTHAMPTON man launched flares and levelled a crossbow at his neighbour after a disagreement about the mooring of boats.

Mark Sellen, 38, threatened his neighbour during the night of July 12 last year after the pair had argued over messages two days previously.

A court heard how Sellen was living on a boat moored at Millbank Hard near Northam Bridge when the incident happened.

After a disagreement over mooring places, his neighbour, Gregory Park, was awoken in the middle of the night when he heard noises.

He then got up and went out to get some water only to find that Sellen was onboard one of his boats.

Having shouted at him to ask what he was doing, Sellen replied slurring his words and swung an item at his neighbour, missing him and falling over himself.

Daily Echo: Boats moored near Northam Bridge, Southampton. Boats moored near Northam Bridge, Southampton.

He then fell onto Mr Park’s boat, who then stood on his hand and told him to “get off”.

Prosecuting, Siobhan Lindsay said 38-year-old Sellen had then made threats to kill his neighbour.

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Matters then calmed down. But some hours later Mr Park went outside again and found Sellen moving around the boats in a dingy, untying the ropes and mooring other boats.

The neighbour then tried to get the boats back but Sellen approached him from the roof of a boat and fired a flare in his direction.

Sellen then produced a handheld flare which he threw at the victim.

His neighbour started shouting at him but then he pulled out a crossbow which he later claimed was not loaded.

The police were called and Sellen was arrested.

The court heard how ropes were severed using a knife.

Miss Lindsay added that following his arrest, he had said he was “prepared to shoot him” and later accepted causing the “significant amount of damage” to the boats.

Sellen, of Smythe Road, admitted affray and criminal damage.

Mitigating, Christopher Pix said the defendant had expressed “a great deal of remorse” despite him shaking his head throughout the hearing, adding there had been “some degree of provocation”.

Sellen has previous convictions including common assault, criminal damage and possession of cannabis.

Judge Nicholas Rowland told Sellen he had behaved in a “quite disgraceful manner” to someone who had been his friend.

He noted that he has a history of offending but accepted that there have been times when he hasn’t offended for periods.

He handed Sellen, who has now moved to the other side of Southampton, four months in jail but suspended the sentence for 18 months.

The defendant was also ordered to pay £2,360 in compensation, carry out 150 hours of unpaid work, and attend 18 rehabilitation sessions.

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