Driveway rage lands DA councillor in court

A quarrel over a parked car blocking a driveway that degenerated into a street fight put a Democratic Alliance councillor in court on a charge of assault on Monday. The ward councillor allegedly kicked 57-year-old Michael Kerr‚ who fell and broke his arm‚ after he complained that he was unable to reverse out of his driveway in the quiet coastal town of Fish Hoek on the Cape Peninsula. Simon Liell-Cock‚ who was arrested on October 19 after the altercation‚ was identified as the alleged perpetrator when he made his first appearance in the Simon’s Town Magistrate’s Court on Monday. Kerr claimed that he was rushing his wife to town when he found Liell-Cock’s car blocking the driveway. He searched for the owner of the vehicle and eventually found Liell-Cock whom‚ he said‚ got aggressive and attacked him instead of apologising for the inconvenience he had caused. He said Liell-Cock kicked him when he threated to flatten his tyres and he fell on his arm. He said the councillor also tried to kick him in his private parts. Kerr said that he laid criminal charges when his right arm started swelling and got very painful. “My arm is in a cast and I have been booked off from work‚” Kerr told TMG Digital on Monday. “I do mechanical work and a lot of it is physical. I am supposed to be on 24-hour standby as I have to go in to oversee a few jobs but I can’t drive myself anywhere. I have to catch public transport and that is my main inconvenience. How do you brush your teeth? If my left ear is itching I have to use my right hand.” Kerr said he was waiting for the outcome of the criminal case before deciding on his next move. Liell-Cock has in the meantime also laid counter-charges against Kerr. “I have laid a charge of defamation against Mr Kerr for what he has been telling the media because it is not all true‚” Liell-Cock told TMG Digital. “I don’t know what his intention is or why he wants to defame me and make this a big deal. All I can tell you is that I have laid a counter-charge of assault against him and defamation‚” he said. The City of Cape Town is set to take disciplinary action against the councillor. Council speaker Dirk Smit is gathering evidence about the incident. The court hearing was postponed to November 23 for both parties to take part in mediation.