Grandfather jailed for attacking his son in a bitter row over their rival flower businesses

An 82-year-old grandfather has been jailed for attacking his own son - in a bitter row over their rival flower businesses.

Raymond Hill shoved his son Paul, 49, as he took a delivery of flowers and plants at his garden centre.

The outburst breached an earlier restraining order given to Hill for harassing his son, who lives next door.

The pair have been locked in an eight-year long feud over their rival nursery businesses which they run from their homes.

A court heard Hill was "bitter" after Paul set up Brookfield Nurseries next door to his own High Bank Nurseries in the Worcestershire village of Belbroughton.

Divorced Hill, who lives in a £400,000 four-bedroom detached house, was found guilty of assault and breaching a restraining order. He was jailed for two months at Worcester Crown Court and ordered to pay £250 costs.

Judge Robert Juckes QC said Hill was "bitter" because his son had set up a competing business on land he thought had been given to him.

He said: "He has been sent to prison once already in this sorry saga.

"I'm really getting to my wits end as to what to do with you, I thought the only sensible thing was to give you one last chance.

"I can't possibly deal with this matter without imposing a custodial sentence. If you go on committing these offences the sentences will simply get longer and longer.

The court heard Hill had repeatedly breached a restraining order which was first imposed on October 19, 2010.

On March 30 2017, Paul saw his father staring at him over the fence which was also captured on CCTV, breaching the terms of the restraining order.

The order prevents him having contact with his son and his son's wife, Joanne, looking over the boundary fence into their property and making derogatory statements.

Prosecutor Amiee Parkes said on May 5 last year, Paul and a friend were taking a delivery from a lorry when Hill came outside and stood on the pavement and refused to move, obstructing the trolley loaded with flowers.

She said: "He (Hill) pushed Paul Hill to the chest and there was a verbal altercation."

In a victim personal statement Paul's wife Joanne, 43, said her father-in-law's presence intimidated her and she suffered from stress and anxiety as a result of his behaviour.

Miss Parkes added: "She says she doesn't think the defendant is stable and doesn't know what he's capable of."

Richard Hull, defending, said: "Mr Hill and his son effectively run competing nurseries and he initially came out of his home to remonstrate with the lorry driver as the lorry was parked in front of his property."

Speaking after the case, Paul said: "Ultimately a father and son relationship has broken down.

"We worked together and unfortunately he has, over the years, become very bitter when I said I wanted to set up on my own.

"Rather than him go to prison, I wish he would change and let us do what we have to do."