Ex Royal Navy commando, 80, run over FOUR times by ‘drunk neighbour from hell’ outside his home on the Costa del Sol
AN EX- Royal Navy commando says he feels "lucky to be alive" after being run over four times by a "neighbour from hell" at his house in Spain.
David James, 80, was savagely attacked by a fellow Brit on his doorstep in La Viñuela, Malaga.
The suspect, in his early 70s, a retired councillor from northern England, has been charged with attempted murder and is being held in prison awaiting trial.
The neighbour, identified by his initials D.B. also faces a string of other charges after three others were injured in the incident, court documents confirm.
Speaking from his hospital bed this week, David, who is also a former policeman, said: "I really thought I was a goner.
"I’ve lost all my teeth, fractured my pelvis and ribs, and fractured multiple bones in my face, I’m lucky to be alive."
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The shocking incident happened at around 5pm on August 12 when grandfather-of-one David, his wife and their friends were returning from a lunch party.
It was then, according to David, that his next-door neighbour’s wife came running out of their driveway in hysterics.
David recalled: "She shouted 'he’s going to kill me, he’s going to kill me'."
The neighbour then emerged from his driveway "visibly highly intoxicated", it is claimed.
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Seeing that he had his keys in his hand and fearing he was going to drive off while under the influence, David and another resident blocked off the end of the road with their cars.
The alleged attacker finally came to a halt, at which point David decided to approach him to take the keys out of the ignition.
He said: "I then heard his engine rev and I knew what was going to happen, he came at me at full speed and knocked me against the wall.
"I smashed my head and I thought I was a goner, but somehow I was still conscious.
"Then he reversed over me, before running me over for a third time, this time on my arm, before reversing over me one more time.
"It was like something out of a Hollywood movie."
Horrified neighbours were heard screaming before they managed to drag David on to his driveway and behind its access gate.
The alleged attacker, described by neighbours as a "madman", then rammed his car into the gate, which remains dented and broken.
"He got out of his car and tried to stab me with a pole," David, a grandfather-of-five, added, "it was terrifying."
The suspect who has lived in the area for at least a decade has inflicted a "years-long reign of terror" on neighbours, witnesses said.
But it is not the first time the suspect has allegedly tried to attack David.
The ex-commando was forced to file a formal police complaint 18 months ago after D.B. allegedly tried to attack him with an axe.
The dispute was settled out of court but David claims this happened as his wife had just been diagnosed with cancer and the family did not want to get involved in a legal battle.
David, who served in the Royal Navy for 12 years, added: "I told the local authority of every previous incident that occurred and I told them he was going to kill somebody one day, although I didn’t know that person would almost be me."
One British neighbour, who asked to remain anonymous, said: "He is a blight on our oasis, David became president of the urbanisation five years ago, and I think he is the only one to actually stand up to him and he doesn’t like it.
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"He has tried to stop most of David’s ideas to improve the development and there have been so many complaints about him, he’s the neighbour from hell."
The Guardia Civil has been contacted for a comment.
