A JAIL sentence has been given to a man who almost severed his neighbours foot in a land dispute near Slough.

James Crockett, of Middle Green, was sentenced today (February 24) at Reading Crown Court for three years and nine months following his neighbour’s foot being left ‘attached by a ligament’ after he struck him with a piece of heavy machinery.

The 56-year-old had been filling in a public layby near his home which his neighbours had dug a trench into for ‘drainage’ purposes when the incident happened in August last year.

READ MORE: Slough 'murder' trial: Court proceedings delayed today

Crockett had been using the layby for parking purposes so refilled the trench leading to a dispute between the neighbours about who owned the land and what could be done with it.

When he was refilling the trench using a skid-steer loader, the bucket of the machine hit his neighbour on the ankle after he had come out to yell at Crockett to stop.

The man was left with ‘life-changing injuries’ and his ankle is now permanently disfigured.

After a trial, a jury found Crockett guilty of causing grievous bodily harm as well as two counts of dangerous driving.

READ MORE: Slough 'murder' trial starts at Reading Crown Court

Prosecuting, Mr Sank told the court the first incident happened in February 2022 when Crockett ‘struck’ one neighbour on the leg with a piece of machinery that he was using to renovate his home.

No charges were brought to Crockett on this offence but later in the day Crockett was caught on CCTV driving past the layby in his car, braking and reversing into the layby thereby hitting his neighbour in the leg.

Six months later, Crockett injured a second neighbour with the skid-steer loader.

Defending Crockett, Francis Lloyd said: “The whole history of this matter is borderline tragic. This has caused high upset to both parties. I don’t want to look down the line of victim blaming but I do have to put, on his behalf, that there is blame on both sides.

“[The neighbour] came across [in trial] as an aggressive person.”

READ MORE: In the Dock: Latest results in Reading and Slough Magistrates Courts

Recorder Caroline Hartley sentenced him to 38 months in prison for the grievous bodily harm and seven months for dangerous driving which will run consecutively.

He is also disqualified from driving for about three years, is subject to a restraining order and is legally not allowed to enter the layby for five years.

Sentencing, Ms Hartley said: “It’s clear that up until the most recent days and hours you’ve continued to believe you’re victimised. The probation officer says you lack remorse.

“The results [of the incident] were catastrophic. [The neighbour] said he is terrified that you will return to the neighbourhood.”