LONG-suffering neighbours of a millionaire accountant who had the “UK’s biggest man cave” have won a battle against his car collection.
Millionaire Graham Wildin, 71, courted controversy when he built his 10,000sqft pad in Cinderford, Gloucestershire without planning permission in 2014.
SWNSGraham Wildin has lost a battle for his car collection against neighbours[/caption]
Leon ImagesHe has parked his 11 cars in the street with a network of CCTV cameras[/caption]
SWNSMr Wildin frustrated neighbours who went to cops to complain[/caption]
It includes a bowling alley, casino and cinema with Wildin repeatedly defying a series of court orders to knock it down.
He even served jail time last year after ignoring the latest order to “decommission” the man cave.
Mr Wildin has also been parking his 11 cars and two vans in the street with a network of CCTV cameras set up to keep watch over them.
His flash motors include a grey Bentley Turbo R, a yellow convertible Jenson-Healey sports car and a burgundy Austin 1100.
Locals complained that elevated poles have been erected for some of the CCTV cameras.
Wildin’s frustrated neighbours protested to Gloucestershire Police that his behaviour in monopolising the on street parking was anti-social.
Their complaints led to a panel being assembled by ‘Solace’ – a partnership between Gloucestershire police and the county’s district and city councils to prevent, investigate and tackle anti-social behaviour.
Back in September, a judge slapped Wildin with an “interim injunction” banning him from causing nuisance and annoyance to his neighbours.
The injunction bars him from parking more than two of his cars on the street and from covering it with CCTV.
The judge said there was power of arrest if he failed to comply and Wildin immediately appealed the interim injunction.
Last week, in front of District Judge Jonathan Napier, a two day trial of the alleged anti social behaviour was held at Gloucester County Court.
The court heard that he had placed parking fine notices on a number of neighbours vehicles blocking his driveway.
The court was also told that because of the amount of vehicles parked in the road, a Forest of Dean District Council bin lorry was unable to collect the rubbish.
Mr Wildin disputed this and numerous other issues through his legal representative Sasha Wass KC.
The millionaire maintained that his neighbours were at fault and claimed that, apart from one occasion, he had not blocked his neighbours’ driveways with any of his vehicles.
Neighbours have claimed that Mr Wildin resorted to inconsiderate parking of his vehicles in the street after he was ordered to tear down his ‘man cave’.
It was claimed he moved his classic car collection onto the street to create parking chaos in a bid to force the authority to make a U-turn about the man cave.
But at last week’s hearing, which was attended by neighbours affected by Mr Wildin’s parking antics and was prosecuted by Victoria Fennell on behalf of Solace and its partners, Judge Napier imposed a full and final injunction order against the millionaire.
Mr Wildin will now be allowed to park only two cars on the road plus provision for two visitors, who can only stay for a maximum of eight hours.
The judge also ordered that Mr Wildin cannot keep the CCTV surveillance cameras on the exterior of any vehicle nor on any extendable pole.
However the judge removed one interim condition over causing a nuisance and annoyance to others and also the power of arrest if he failed to comply with the injunction.
Mr Wildin was ordered to pay his own legal costs, believed to be in the region of £80,000, plus £5,000 towards Solace’s costs.
After the hearing the anti-social behaviour case review co-ordinator for Solace Di Blandford – a retired detective – said it was a victory for the neighbours who had collaborated together to bring this action.
Ms Blandford added: “The residents of Meendhurst Road had become frustrated in that when they came home there was nowhere to park near their homes because Mr Wildin had taken up all the available spaces with his collection of cars.
“This is the first prosecution under anti-social behaviour legislation, involving car parking disputes. I am pleased that a large contingent of those affected by Mr Wildin’s antics were able to see the process in action and the injunction being supported by the justice system.
“It felt like a David versus Goliath victory for the neighbours, thanks to the efforts of our prosecutor.”
Ms Fennell said after the trial: “I am very pleased with the outcome of the hearing for all of the residents of Meendhurst Road.”
Wildin built the 10,000sqft mancave extension at the rear of his home in 2014 without applying for planning permission.
Ever since then he has been involved in an ongoing legal battle over the luxury complex.
In March this year he lost his fifth court battle over the complex when three High Court judges declared it was right to jail him for defying court orders – despite claiming he had sold the controversial mancave building for just £1.