A solicitor who is demanding $20 million in damages after his former neighbours' two mongrels mauled his dog to death had disputes with the couple both before and after the attack, a court heard yesterday.
Kate Richdale and her husband, Yan Su-zher, both investment bankers, are being sued by Eugene Oh, a solicitor and his psychologist wife, Grace Chin, who claim to have suffered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a result of the attack on their shih tzu, Sha Sha, in Sai Kung in June 2000.
Mr Yan and his family, along with their dogs Jasper and Lady, have been living in Singapore since November 2001.
The Court of First Instance was told yesterday that in 1999, the two families had a dispute about a canopy in the property of Mr Yan and Ms Richdale.
Mr Oh complained to the couple that the structure blocked the view from his house. The dispute was resolved after the canopy was dismantled.
Ms Richdale told the court under cross-examination that the dispute was not a lingering issue between the two families and that she bore no ill-will against Mr Oh.
In early September 2000, following the fatal attack, Mr Oh threw stones at the two mongrels when they were being walked by a domestic helper.