Cyclist beat up neighbour after rows over scuffing walls with bike

Nicholas Rowntree had previous run-ins with Barry Schulz, who manages the block of seaside flats where they live, over him taking his bike up and down the communal stairwell.

Rowntree, 55, is said to have often left tyre marks and other damage due to his 'bad handling' of his mountain bike.

His actions led to other residents of the Grade II-listed building to chip in and pay to redecorate the communal space three times because of it.

Nicholas Rowntree outside Bournemouth Crown Court. Picture: BNPS (Image: BNPS)

Matters came to a head when Mr Schulz, a surgical podiatrist and former Army staff sergeant, heard Rowntree come down the stairs again with his bike.

The 61-year-old opened his front door and spoke to his neighbour about damaging the freshly-painted walls.

Rowntree, who has a previous conviction for using his bike to assault a council official, lost his temper and punched Mr Schulz 'at least six times' to the head and face.

He was left battered and bruised and his blood spattered the hallway after the attack in Poole.

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Mr Schulz said: "I was sat in my flat and heard a loud noise. I looked through my peephole and saw (Rowntree) was on the landing with his mountain bike.

"He takes his bike down on its back wheel but he often loses control and causes damage and marks the wall.

"I went out to speak to him about the amount of money we had just spent redecorating.

"I said something like 'why do you keep damaging the landing? We all have to pay for this'.

"Then he beat me up. It was a frenzied attack to my head and face. It was very sudden and completely unexpected.

"The first punch completely got the better of me, it was remarkable how quickly it all happened. I remember I just flew backwards.

"It was a flurry of punches. I tried to put my hands out in front of me, but to no avail."

Barry Schulz after he was attacked by his neighbour. Picture: BNPS (Image: BNPS)

Mr Schulz and his wife Michelle moved into the building in Old Town in 2018 and he took on the role of director of the building's management company, handling the finances and any repairs.

He had served 22 years in the army with the Royal Tank Regiment before retiring in 2002 and becoming a podiatrist working with vulnerable patients for the NHS and local council.

But a court heard there had been 'bad blood' between him and Rowntree for some time building up to the attack in April 2020.

Rowntree denied being the aggressor and claimed he had acted in self-defence.

He said Mr Schulz had been banging on his door and goading him to fight saying 'come on out, fight me you coward', which Mr Schulz denied.

Barry Schulz. Picture: BNPS (Image: Picture: BNPS)

Rowntree said he had been going down the stairs with his bike and Mr Schulz had kicked him in the back, causing him to fall and land on top of his bike.

Mr Schulz is then said to have 'come at him' with clenched fists and he had pushed him away, pushing Mr Schulz's own fists into his face and that had caused the injuries.

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Rowntree left before the police arrived and said it was because he did not want to make a complaint as he is trying to sell his flat and did not want anything to affect that.

But magistrates in Poole rejected his version of events and found him guilty of assault.

Rowntree appealed the conviction at Bournemouth Crown Court only for Judge Robert Pawson and two magistrates to uphold it.

Judge Pawson said: "We have concluded that Mr Rowntree may have felt threatened, there was a confrontation on the landing.

"Giving Mr Rowntree the benefit of the doubt, he may have felt he needed to use some form of force to defend himself however we are sure that he did punch Mr Schulz and the force was wholly disproportionate to the threat.

"We are sure the injuries caused were not the result of pushing Mr Schulz away. We do not allow the appeal and find him guilty of assault by beating."

They sentenced Rowntree to a community order with 150 hours of unpaid work, £330 prosecution costs and a victim surcharge.

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