Salesman denies assault

Oct 23 2007 by Dave Black, The Journal

A STUNNED homeowner was assaulted and punched several times in the face after telling an aggressive double glazing salesman to leave his house, a court heard yesterday.

George Dixon was left bleeding from his mouth and with injuries to his face and shoulder after being attacked in his own lounge and in front of his wife, Evelyn, by window salesman Carl Birkenshaw, it was claimed.

Birkenshaw had been invited to the couple’s home in Cramlington, Northumberland to give them a quote for fitting a conservatory – but things turned nasty when they mentioned they had already been given a price by another company.

He started criticising the rival firm and ranting that the couple were wasting his time, before refusing their repeated requests for him to leave, Bedlington magistrates were told.

Violence erupted when Mr Dixon, concerned at how Birkenshaw’s behaviour was upsetting his wife, put his hand on the salesman’s shoulder and ushered him towards the front door.

Mr Dixon said Birkenshaw then grabbed him by the throat and swung two punches at him, one of which connected with his neck after missing his face. Mr Dixon retaliated by punching Birkenshaw on the chin, knocking him down on to the settee.

In doing so, Mr Dixon said he tripped and fell over backwards on to the floor. Birkenshaw then said ‘I’ve got you now you bastard’ before getting on top of him and punching him at least three times in the face, as his hysterical wife telephoned the police.

Mr Dixon managed to get up and heard his wife tell Birkenshaw that the police were on their way. Birkenshaw then ran past him, grabbed his briefcase and left the house.

Outside he shouted at Mr Dixon that he would bring people round to ‘sort him out’ before driving off in his car. Mr Dixon said he went to see his GP and was given painkillers for the effects of the punches.

Birkenshaw, 42, a sales manager with Paramount Windows and Conservatories, who lives in Frank Place, North Shields, has pleaded not guilty to assaulting Mr Dixon at his home in Delamere Crescent, Cramlington one evening in February.

He is claiming he acted in self-defence after Mr Dixon became aggressive, told him to leave the house and hit him first.

Yesterday Mr Dixon told the court that Birkenshaw’s attitude and manner became aggressive when he told him that he and his wife had already been given a quote for a conservatory by a rival firm, UK Windows. “I said all we wanted was a quote, not to hear him slagging off the other company.

“He started shouting and ranting that we were wasting his time and so I stood up and asked him to leave. My wife was becoming very upset. I asked him four times to leave the house but he refused to move. We went through a horrendous night with this bloke for no reason at all.”

Mr Dixon denied suggestions by Birkenshaw’s solicitor, John Monkhouse, that he was making parts of his story up and that he had assaulted the salesman first.” The case was adjourned until next month.