A SIBLING feud between bosses of a Swindon estate agency which began with petty bickering and missing post led to thousands in office damage and a criminal assault in front of co-workers.

Brothers Robert and Philip Reeve, who are co-directors of Philip Andrews Estate Agents, had been at each other’s throats for years before their ultimate bust-up last year, a court heard.

Robert, 49, of Goddard Avenue, was sentenced at Swindon Magistrates Court yesterday for assault, drink-driving and criminal damage offences. It emerged all three offences stemmed from a breakdown in the brothers’ relationship, which came to a head in late February last year when Robert allegedly “snapped”.

Michelle Cope, for the defendant, said the pair had been at loggerheads since the 2008 recession when their business was hit and a new direction was needed to keep it afloat. She said Robert wanted to pursue the lettings market, but Philip was not interested and did everything he could to sabotage the business’s diversification.

The damaging impact of this behaviour weighed heavy on Robert and his staff, she said, until he lost his composure on February 26 last year and turned their Devizes Road office upside down, causing almost £5,000 in damage.

On March 3, 2014, the assault arose, Ms Cope said, when Philip barged into Robert in the doorway to their office before the latter lost his temper and shoved Philip twice in front of colleagues.

Later that morning, after police had been called, Robert was caught over the drink-drive limit while moving his car in the office’s back yard to make way for the officer.

After the hearing, when contacted by the Adver, Philip rejected the allegations it was him sabotaging the business and said he had always put his heart and soul into the firm.

In her account of what happened after Robert suggested pursuing lettings following the recession, Ms Cope said: “Philip didn’t agree and from then on he took every opportunity to undermine his brother.

“Over the course of this investigation the employees concurred that Philip became disruptive.

“Mr Reeve noticed his post was going missing and found his brother was intercepting it.

“Philip would sabotage the lettings side of the business. He would pull down marker boards, prevent specialist software being uploaded to the computers and damage his personal possessions.”

Philip said: “The recession came and it was absolutely my drive forward. I have developed that side (lettings) of the business myself.

“You can ask any estate agent in the town and they will give you the right answer. I have 100 per cent driven the business and never done anything malicious to the office.

“I’m the one turning up at 8am every morning. Why would I do anything like that?

“I’m saddened he feels the need to make up these accusations to hurt me. He knows they will hurt me. I have put my heart and soul into this business.”

Linda Raine, chairman of the magistrates, issued 12-month conditional discharges to Reeve for the assault and criminal damage charges.

There was also an order made to pay £500 in compensation for the damage and a £100 for driving whilst unfit through drink.

Reeve was not disqualified from driving because of the short distance he moved his car, but he was ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge.