Anthony Lane shouted “Shut those f***ing dogs up, I’ll kill them, and I’ll kill you”
19:00, 17 Nov 2025Updated 19:12, 17 Nov 2025
Anthony Lane was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court today(Image: Merseyside Police)
A nasty neighbour subjected an elderly woman to a torrent of vile abuse and attacked her after becoming enraged by her dogs’ barking. Anthony Lane, 38, threatened to kill both the woman and her dogs before punching her and throwing her to the ground.
The incident occurred at 9.40pm on September 5 last year, when Lane was visiting his mum’s house in Sefton. The victim, next-door neighbour Vivienne Davies, reported hearing a banging noise before she heard Lane shout: “Shut those f***ing dogs up, I’ll kill them, and I’ll kill you. My ma and da are trying to sleep.”
Ms Davies went to her back window and asked what was going on, to which Lane responded with “garbled swearing”. Mrs Davies then shouted back: “Who do you think you’re speaking to?”
At Liverpool Crown Court today, November 17, prosecutor Sarah Egan said: “She grabbed her phone and walked out the front door, thinking this could be sorted out swiftly.
“The defendant walked to her property and was instantly aggressive. He was swearing about the dogs, saying he would beat up the complainant’s son. The complainant states that he picked up a spade from the garden and approached her, holding it above his head, as if to hit her. He threw the spade to the floor. The CCTV capturing this is unclear.”
Lane, of Bank Road, Bootle, punches Mrs Davies on the arm and called her “an ugly c***”. He said: “I’ll knock you out, your f****t son as well’.
Ms Egan said: “He kept getting in her face. The defendant grabbed her and threw her to the floor. The complainant said that when she landed, she was in intense pain and began screaming. She believed the defendant was under the influence of something due to his manner.”
A taxi was called, and Ms Davies’ neighbour managed to get Lane into it. He was arrested the next day. He later pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm.
Ms Davies suffered a dislocated and fractured shoulder.
Julian Nutter, defending Lane, said his client had already spent 77 days in custody after failing to surrender to bail at an earlier date. He said: “He’s now clean, he’s dried out, he’s sober. In my submission if you couple all that with the restraining order proposed, he is not going to be any sort of threat to the community, and you could therefore punish him by suspending a substantial term of prison, and put in place mechanisms to turn somebody who has never worked in his life into someone who is making a positive contribution to society.
“He’s on the cusp now. He’s showing some signs of having turned the corner.”
Sentencing, judge Andrew Menary said: “Ms Davies describes how this attack has affected her physically, psychologically and financially. She speaks of constant physical pain, fear of being attacked again, and a loss of confidence. She said at the time she intended to move [house]. She was, in her own words, left feeling disabled both mentally and physically. The attack had taken away her independence, and she was a full-time carer for her son.
“The aggravating factors are as follows: a serious injury sustained by the victim. The nature of the incident itself – there was the use of a weapon, although you did not use it in the end and I find you didn’t intend to use it. She was a vulnerable victim, she was older, being confronted by you, younger and considerably stronger. You have 12 previous convictions for 17 offences.
“You report suffering from ADHD , dyslexia and ongoing physical difficulties, instability in accommodation and in your relationships. The report notes the stresses you felt at the time because of your mother’s ill health, and your concern that the victim’s dogs were having an adverse impact on her.”
He sentenced Lane to a total of 18 months in prison.