Police charge Denmark man for allegedly bashing and attacking his elderly neighbour with a fork on Anzac Day

A Denmark man has been charged with allegedly attacking his elderly neighbour with a fork inside the victim’s own kitchen on Anzac Day. James Alistair Cleverly, 48, is behind bars after he was arrested and charged by police in the hours following the violent incident. Police say about 6.45am on April 25, Mr Cleverly went to his 73-year-old victim’s Denmark property and confronted him. Mr Cleverly is said to have pushed the man inside his home and got on top of him, punching him multiple times, before the man was able to escape into the kitchen. Police say Mr Cleverly followed the man into the kitchen and punched and kicked him again before getting a fork and striking him two or three times in the head with it. Again, the alleged victim managed to escape after being stabbed with the fork, and called triple-0, police say. Police say the elderly man received lacerations to his head along with bruising and swelling to his face. He was taken to Albany Health Campus for treatment of his injuries. Albany detectives attended the home and arrested and charged Mr Cleverly shortly afterwards. Mr Cleverly has been charged with unlawful assault and thereby doing bodily harm with circumstances of aggravation, common assault in circumstances of aggravation or racial aggravation, and aggravated home burglary and commit. He appeared via video link from Albany Regional Prison in Albany Magistrates Court on April 27 when the court was told Mr Cleverly and the elderly man were next-door neighbours. Mr Cleverly was remanded in custody and is next due to appear in Albany Magistrates Court on May 18.