A PENSIONER grappled with a knife-wielding neighbour before pinning him to the floor, a jury heard today.

Former boxer Frank Corti told Oxford Crown Court that he grabbed Gregory McCalium’s wrists and pinned his arms against the wall after finding him in his home.

Mr Corti said McCalium had gone in with a knife after the 71-year-old called police to complain about loud music from the defendant’s adjoining semi-detached house.

McCalium, 23, denies aggravated burglary.

Mr Corti, a parish councillor, said for several months before the incident on August 19 last year he had been woken during the night by noise from next door.

He told the court: “They would slam the doors, then they would start partying. You could hear shouting, screaming and music.”

Mr Corti said he called police when he found McCalium banging on the front door of his house in Queens Close, Botley, at about 6.30am.

Two hours later, he said, he came downstairs and saw bar worker McCalium in his hallway.

Mr Corti said: “The accused produced a knife. It was no ordinary knife, it was more like a six-bladed knuckle duster.

“He made a slashing movement at me. I stepped back. He missed me, fortunately.”

Mr Corti said that while McCalium was off balance, he grabbed both of his wrists and managed to pin his arms against the wall.

He added he asked McCalium to drop the knife but he wouldn’t.

Mr Corti said: “I shouted to my wife to ring the police.

“I was absolutely petrified.

“As I saw it, it was a matter of do or die so I let his wrists go. Fortunately the element of surprise was with me, so I adjusted my position and hit him with my right hand. It was just below the eye.

“I did not knock him out, but he was stunned. I heard the knife drop. We grappled. I was trying to drag him out of the back door. We both fell to the floor. I had to subdue him by punching him, which I did not take a great deal of pleasure in.”

The jury heard he then lay on top of McCalium until the police arrived.

Clare Tucker, prosecuting, said McCalium was taken to hospital with cuts to his face and head. His injuries were “substantially greater” than Mr Corti’s.

John Simmons, defending, said Mr Corti had a convictions for unlawful wounding in 1958 and causing actual bodily harm in 1963.

He said: “You pulled him into the house and repeatedly punched him, didn’t you? You dragged him in and you hit him again and again and again.”

Mr Corti said that was “complete and utter rubbish.”

The case continues.

esimmonds@oxfordmail.co.uk