A pastor who was filmed attacking his neighbor claims he was forced to react after the alleged victim threatened to rape and kill his wife.

Tony Spell, 48, leads Life Tabernacle Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was arrested for allegedly beating his 20-year-old neighbor on June 23.  

Spell claimed during a press conference on Wednesday that he was replacing the battery on a Sunday school bus when his neighbor began shouting and swearing at him from across the road.

The pastor claims his neighbor said: 'Tony, I'm going to rape your wife, I'm going to rape all your grandchildren, and the next time you go out of town, I'm going to kill them,' according to WBRZ.

Spell, who was supported by church members during the press conference, said: 'Number one, I'm a husband, number two, I'm a father, and number three, I'm a pastor who shepherds his flock.'

'I will not allow a man to murder my children when I'm gone.'

Video from the attack shows Spell marching across the street towards his neighbor's lawn. 

The two men can then be seen fighting before Spell hits his neighbor with eight punches and wrestles him to the ground.

Spell then threw dozens more punches and twisted the man's neck, while appearing to scream: 'I'm going to break your neck!'

The alleged victim suffered a broken bone below his eye socket and needed stitches below his chin according to a police report.

Spell claimed that numerous complaints to have been made about the neighbor by church members throughout the years.

'[Church members] are constantly stalked by these individuals across the street. They are constantly intimidated with threats of bodily harm,' he said.

Spell's attorney Jeffery Wittenbrink attributes the situation to a failure in law enforcement to keep the peace.

'These folks have been pressing this and trying to instigate some kind of problem here at the church for years,' Wittenbrink said.

'Every man has his limits and it's sad when you get pushed to that point.'

The family of the alleged victim, the Sherwins, told WBRZ that Spell's claims were untrue.

'The pastor is a bully who gets mad when he does not get his way,' they said. 

Police chief Roger Corcoran responded to Spell and Wittenbrink's claims stating: 'Allegations that the Central Police Department has failed to investigate complaints lodged by Pastor or Mrs Spell are untrue.

'Our records reflect only five incidents involving Pastor or Mrs Spell in the past four years, and only one of those involved a complaint against their neighbors,' he added.

Corcoran added that the police department was not involved in the investigation and arrest of Spell, and that it was handled by the sheriff's office.

The sheriff's office declined to comment when contacted by the Daily Mail.

Spell was charged with second-degree battery and faces up to eight years behind bars. He is due to appear in court on September 15. 

The Sherwins and the church run by Spell have a long history of disagreements.

In 2020, Spell filed a lawsuit against Sherwin for installing surveillance cameras at his home, which Spell claimed were to keep tabs on him and the church.