Fleetwood man Mark Smith admits trying to strangle his neighbour

Mark Smith, 43, of Lower Lune Street, Fleetwood admitted the intentional strangulation of his neighbour Simon Green when he appeared at Blackpool Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (April 25).

Pam Smith, prosecuting, outlined the case against Smith as she explained how the two men had been friends for more than four years and Smith would often drink at Mr Green’s home.

On Friday, April 7, Smith called at his neighbour’s home but Mr Green declined the offer of alcohol as he was recovering from a hospital stay.

"The defendant would not shut up”, said the prosecutor, "then he put Green in a chokehold around his neck and put his knee on the back of his head.”

The incident lasted for around six minutes before Smith appeared to calm down, the court heard.

But moments later his temper exploded again as he grabbed a cord from an electric kettle and tried to strangle his neighbour a second time.

He wrapped it round Green's neck saying, "I am doing this for your own good,” the court heard.

Smith eventually calmed down and reported himself to police, with officers dispatched to the scene within minutes.

"I have done something stupid,” he told them when they arrived at Mr Green’s home.

“He did not want to be here anymore,” Smith told police. “So I put the ligature round his neck. If it had been two minutes longer he would not be here.”

The court heard Smith had taken diazepam, as well as alcohol that day, which can cause side effects such as unusual mood changes, talking more than usual, confusion, aggressiveness and delusions.

Pam Smith, prosecuting, successfully asked for sentencing to be carried out at Preston Crown Court due to of the seriousness of the offence.

Gerry Coyle, defending, agreed and the case was sent to the higher court for sentencing on June 6.

Smith was bailed and probation reports will be prepared on him.