A man has admitted wielding an axe to "warn" his Polish neighbour away during a noise dispute - but denies making racial remarks towards the man.
Grant White, 53, of Amberley Road, Slough, stands charged with assault by beating, racially-aggravated assault by beating and causing racially-aggravated fear or provocation of violence.
He is on trial at Reading Crown Court, accused of punching and kicking his neighbour - and threatening him with an axe - after he came to White's home complain about loud music.
White denies the charges.
The incident is alleged to have occurred around midnight on November 2, 2021.
Today (March 8), White gave evidence in court - and acknowledged wielding an axe during his encounter with the other man.
At the time of the run-in, the defendant was at home with a woman, and was playing music.
This woke his neighbour, who came to complain.
The other man claims that White yelled racial abuse at him, referring to him as "f***ing Polish" - as well as punching and kicking him.
White has acknowledged producing an axe during the incident, but insists he never intended to actually use it.
He told the court: "The last thing I'd want to do is go down for manslaughter or murder. I have a family. The last thing I'd want to lose is that privilege."
White also denies making any sort of racial remarks - but said he did not believe the words he is accused of using were offensive.
The defendant said: "It doesn't make sense to call someone 'f***ing Polish.' If someone called me 'f***ing English,' I'd say: 'Yes, I am, I'm proud.'"
Prosecuting barrister Laura Hollingbery questioned whether the circumstances demanded that White produce an axe.
She said: "There was absolutely no need that evening, Mr White, for you to defend your property or defend yourself."
But White stated that he took issue with his neighbour's "temperament."
He said: "I'd never turn up on his doorstep. I can hear him shouting out of the window when he's playing PlayStation. I don't go knock on his door."
Three separate witnesses claimed to have heard the anti-Polish remark.
The neighbour himself testified that the defendant punched and kicked him, despite him having only asked White to turn down the music he was playing.
The trial continues.
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