Sir Sean Connery counter-sues New York neighbour

Sir Sean Connery has branded a New York neighbour a tyrant in a fresh round of lawsuits after the man accused the 74-year-old Scot of making his life a living hell - reports The Herald.

In response to Dr Burton Sultan – who filed a £15.7m legal action last month which described Sir Sean as a "rude, foul-mouthed, fat old man" – the former James Bond actor has filed a civil action of his own, claiming it is Dr Sultan who is the real villain.

The Long Island eye specialist and his wife, Marla, also a doctor, complained of irreparably cracked walls and ceilings, deafening noise, noxious fumes, flooding, an infestation of rats and even of loud music allegedly playing at all hours.

The Sultans alleged that the Connerys had gone ahead with some renovations to the building without their approval and that the Hollywood legend is trying to drive him out of the luxury townhouse in order to buy the property at a knock-down price.

The suit last month named Sir Sean, his wife, Micheline, stepson Stephane and his wife, Tania.

However, in court papers filed against Dr Sultan, the Connery family claims he has embarked on a campaign of harassing them, and they accuse their neighbour of jeopardising their health and safety and deliberately blocking repair work.

"It's clear that the condominium cannot function if it is run by the defendant, Burton Sultan, out of his office in Old Westbury, as a tyrant," reads one of the papers.
The Sultans said in their complaint that there exists a smoking gun letter accidentally sent to them by Sir Sean's solicitor proving that the problems were an orchestrated campaign of intimidation aimed at getting their half of the six-floor neo-Gothic condominium at a bargain price.

A publicist for the actor said the claims were ridiculous.
The case is thought to hinge on whether it was the younger or the elder set of Connerys who were really calling the shots.

The Connery apartment has been owned by Stephane Connery, a vice-president at Sotheby's auction house, since January, 1998, but the Sultans claimed Sir Sean and his wife have been residents since June 2001 and were keen to acquire their half of the townhouse.

The Sultans' suit, filed by the Manhattan law firm of Engel and McCarney, even claims that on April, 2002, Sir Sean harassed the Sultans, who live in the lower half of the townhouse, by playing loud music at all hours and complained of "stomping about".

Mrs Sultan told the veteran actor they should lower the noise because she had a surgery to perform in the morning. "Connery himself answered the door in his bathrobe, unkempt and dishevelled," the Sultans said.
Sir Sean's publicist confirmed that the Manhattan property was owned by his son Stephane and insisted Sir Sean lived in the Bahamas.

Thanks to `` for the alert.

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