An elderly farmer is in a legal battle with the council over a wall he built himself, facing threats of fines and enforcement action.
Bampton: An elderly farmer is in a tough spot with the council. Ron Knight, who’s 89, is being threatened for knocking down part of a wall he built over 50 years ago.
It all started when he removed a section of the concrete wall back in 2017 to get better access to his land. The council hit him with a planning enforcement notice, claiming the wall was “historic” and in a conservation area.
Ron has been battling this for seven years now. He’s been to court multiple times and even faced the possibility of jail time. Can you believe that? He’s determined not to pay a nearly £3,000 fine, saying he’d rather go to jail.
Things have escalated, and now he’s received letters saying bailiffs could come to his home to take his belongings. His wife, Jean, who’s 81, is really worried about all this stress.
Ron thinks the whole situation is ridiculous. He’s been trying to explain that he built the wall himself and doesn’t see why he should be punished for it. He’s even had to deal with a judge ordering a deduction from his pension, which turned out to be a hassle.
Last year, a judge warned him he could face 45 days in prison unless he rebuilt the wall and paid the fines. But Ron insists he hasn’t done anything wrong and would rather be locked up than admit guilt.
He’s been living in Bampton since selling his farm in Somerset, and he’s had ongoing disputes with neighbors who he claims blocked his access to his land. To keep things tidy, he felt he had no choice but to take down part of the wall.
Somerset Council is standing firm, saying they’re acting in the public interest. They argue that Ron’s actions have harmed a protected local structure. It’s a tough situation for him and Jean, who just want to live peacefully without all this hassle.
