UPDATE: Swanley couple jailed after 'out of control' builder screwdriver attack

Robert Symons, 51, and Jenny Turrell, 49, were both sentenced to three years in prison, after being found guilty of unlawful wounding.

Turrell was also found guilty of possessing an offensive weapon after stabbing Jeff King, 54, in the neck - both she and her husband were found with blood spattered on their clothes, by Kent Police.

Canterbury Crown Court heard Mr King and Symons had been friends for 30 years but fell out after the couple, who live at Birchwood Park Avenue, refused to pay him for renovation work on their Margate house.

In retaliation, the victim "smashed up" their house in Ethelbert Gardens overnight on January 29, causing £20,000 worth of damage while the owners were in Turkey visiting Turrell's daughters.

The court heard just days later on February 10, former police officer Symons used his red van to trap Mr King against a skip in order to attack him.

Robert Symons

Prosecutor Dominic Connolly said: "You came across Mr King as a chance encounter, and you thought this was an ideal time to sort him out.

"That's why you drove aggressively back towards him, and trapped him between your van and the skip.

"You were out of control."

His screwdriver wielding wife then joined the attack, stabbing Mr King in the neck.

She denied intentionally wounding the builder and said she had forgotten she was holding the weapon, but admitted to being "angry and upset" about the damage.

Jenny Turrell

Turrell added: "I could not believe what this man had done to us.

"The estate agent told us the house had been completely wrecked."

Mr Connolly disputed her claims and said: "You and your husband were livid at what Mr King had done, and wanted revenge."

Symons, who used to box, then continued to punch his former friend - and kick him when he fell to the ground.

He was unhurt in the attack, although he claimed Mr King hit him back.

Mr King was flown to a London hospital by Air Ambulance with a broken nose, a puncture wound to his neck, a suspected fractured hand and cuts and bruising to his head and body.

Kent Police found Symons and Turrell with blood all over their clothes.

When Turrell was asked about the screwdriver, she said she had dropped it down the road - but officers searching their house found two recently-washed screwdrivers on the draining board next to a sink. 

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Symons and Turrell were originally facing an attempted murder charge, but this was dropped at the direction of Judge Adele Williams.

The couple was acquitted by the jury of wounding with intent to cause serious harm.

Detective Constable Neil Martin said: "The stab wound thankfully missed any arteries and the victim survived - but it could have easily been much worse."

Jeff King pleaded guilty to criminal damage of property, and was given a six month suspended prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, at Canterbury Crown Court on June 30.