A former Norfolk magistrate accused of attacking and being racially abusive to a tenant who came to his home to collect his belongings told police that he felt 'under siege' during the incident.

Eastern Daily Press: Boyland Hall in Morningthorpe, home of Nigel Stringer. Mr Stringer has denied launching a racist attack against a former tenant. Picture: Ian BurtBoyland Hall in Morningthorpe, home of Nigel Stringer. Mr Stringer has denied launching a racist attack against a former tenant. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant 2018)

In a recorded interview following his arrest Nigel Stringer said that after listening to a voicemail from Anthony Munatswa saying: "I'm here to get my stuff" he looked out of a window and saw a car at a gate at the end of his drive.

He described feeling " horrified" at the prospect of Mr Munatswa being at his house and shouted at his wife to come in from the garden and to lock all the doors.

He had then shouted upstairs to his son Rowan: "We've got trouble" and told him to get some weapons.

He said Rowan had replied: "There's four of them dad. I can see them coming" and he had then told his wife to call 999.

He then heard his daughter say: "Dad there's people coming down the drive."

He described his hands shaking as he tried to call the police and said that both he and his daughter were panicking.

"We really were under siege," he told police.

Stringer, 68, and Rowan Stringer, 24, of Boyland Hall, Hempnall Road, Morningthorpe, have denied racially aggravated assault causing actual bodily harm to Mr Munatswa and an alternative charge of assault causing actual bodily harm.

They have also denied a charge of racially aggravated harassment, alarm or distress towards Mr Munatswa and an offence of battery, which is an alternative to the assault causing actual bodily harm charge.

The court heard that Mr Munatswa went to the Stringer family home near Long Stratton in January last year with three friends to collect his belongings which had been stored by his former landlord Nigel Stringer.

Christopher Paxton QC, prosecuting, said that two weeks before the alleged incident a county court judge had ordered Nigel Stringer to make Mr Munatswa's belongings available for collection within 14 days and had ordered Mr Munatswa to pay Stringer £820.

Mr Munatswa had allegedly tried without success to arrange collection and on January 14 he went to Mr Stringer's with three friends in three cars to collect his possessions.

On the way Mr Munatswa called the police to inform them of what he was doing and had climbed over a gate and walked towards the Stringer house when he was allegedly confronted and attacked by Nigel Stringer and his son with a hammer and hockey stick.

The trial continues.