Divorce ends in chain saw case for Stourbridge couple (From Stourbridge News)

Divorce ends in chain saw case for Stourbridge couple

4:17pm Friday 10th February 2012 in News

A STOURBRIDGE man who used a chain saw to scare his wife during their acrimonious divorce has avoided jail.

Wolverhampton Crown Court was told George Birch armed himself with the chain saw and refused to leave the marital home in Walker Avenue.

Judge Rosalind Bush told Birch the saw was a very frightening weapon and he had caused considerable concern to bystanders including a child.

But she said was clear the 51-year-old had acted completely out of character at a time when he was under great pressure during a divorce from his wife Sheila.

Jennifer Josephs, for Birch, said her client had lost everything as a result of the breakdown of his 20 year marriage.

She told the court Birch was extremely upset because he did not want to vacate his home and he simply wanted to scare off his wife and her brother with the saw - not to cause any harm.

Miss Josephs described the incident as a one-off moment of madness and added Birch, after spending 142 days in custody on remand, wanted to move on with his life.

Birch, now living in Upper Sapey, Tenbury Wells, admitted affray and was made the subject of a 12 month community order and told to carry out 250 hours unpaid work.

Tariq Shakoor, prosecuting, said Birch's wife had obtained a court order to get him to vacate the former marital home but he said he would not leave.

She went to the property with her brother Christopher and they heard shouting and the sound of the chain saw being started inside the property.

Birch came out of the house carrying the chain saw and walked towards Christopher who was forced to retreat before walking back to the property.

Mr Shakoor told the court the saw was recovered by police from the house and added: "The wife was terrified by what she saw along with a number of witnesses to the incident."

Birch told police divorce proceedings were pending and he said there had been a number of problems with his wife and her brother.

Mr Shakoor told the court Birch stressed the saw was used only as a threat and there had never been any intention to cause injury.

He said: "There was some history of police involvement with the breakdown of the couple's marriage," and added: "he had had enough."