Western suburbs parking spot fight lands in court amid allegations of knife threat

A fight between two wealthy, successful women over a parking spot outside their multimillion-dollar homes in Perth’s affluent western suburbs has landed in court.

Well-known West Australian architect Louise St John Kennedy was arrested after allegedly brandishing a knife during the row with rheumatologist Dr Prudence Manners in May last year.

The argument unfolded outside their Chester Road properties that share a driveway, part of which was caught on camera by a neighbour and shown to Perth Magistrates Court.

Kennedy, 74, could allegedly be heard in the footage yelling at the 81-year-old doctor to “move your car you f---ing dumb bitch”, and telling her she couldn’t park there.

Prosecutors allege that Kennedy then fetched a large knife from her car and was waving it around in Manners’ face while threatening her.

Kennedy denies the allegation, instead claiming the item in her hand was a specialist architect’s tool called an angle finder ruler.

She pleaded not guilty to being armed or pretending to be armed in a way that may cause fear and common assault, which has been heard in a trial where she has been representing herself.

Kennedy also faces a charge of breaching a restraining order after she was arrested again in September last year for allegedly threatening to run over Manners outside their properties. She has pleaded not guilty to that charge as well.

The protracted trial has been stop-starting for the past year but on Monday, Kennedy got the opportunity to cross-examine Manners in person.

“Are you dishonest?” Kennedy asked the witness.

“I beg your pardon?” Manners responded.

During the cross-examination, Kennedy insinuated that Manners had fabricated the story and falsified a police statement. She also brought a tree branch to use as a “pointer” to indicate at presentations during her cross-examination because she was told the court did not have one.

Manners told the court that Kennedy was honking her horn aggressively on the day of the incident in May last year before she got out of her car and threatened her in person.

Kennedy then allegedly grabbed the older woman around the neck and pushed her.

Manners moved into her property, which is worth more than $2 million, less than a year before the alleged incident.

The 81-year-old claims she was frightened by the alleged assault and thought she was having a heart attack.

On Tuesday, the court was shown body-worn camera footage of the moment Kennedy was arrested where she responded, “this is bizarre” when police arrived at her front door.

Kennedy claimed that on the day of the incident she had a medical emergency with her dog but couldn’t get out of the driveway due to Manners’ parking, which led her to engage with the woman “in debate”.

Kennedy claims Manners shouted to her, “hope the dog dies, Louise” which led her to “momentarily lose control”.

She admitted yelling profanities but was adamant she did not hit the woman and was never holding a knife.

On Tuesday, a police officer gave evidence that none of Kennedy’s DNA was found on the clothing Manners was wearing on the day of the incident.

The trial was then adjourned by the magistrate to address claims that Manners’ daughter was “coaching” her evidence from the public gallery.

The case will return to court in February.

with 9News Perth