A millionaire who was jailed after he illegally built ‘Britain’s best man cave’ has failed to knock it down, his neighbours claim.
Graham Wildin served six weeks in jail after he refused to decommission the 10,000sq ft leisure complex, which has a bowling alley, casino and a cinema.
The 70-year-old failed to get planning permission for the extravagant build, and lost his fifth and latest legal battle two months ago claiming he was wrongfully imprisoned last year.
But three High Court judges said it was right to jail him after he defied court orders by not writing off the building in 2018.
He was initially given 18 weeks from his release to comply with a previous court order to make the giant leisure complex unusable by ‘soft stripping’ the inside.
Wildin, from Cirencester, Gloucestershire, claimed it was ‘no longer his problem’ as he sold it all for just £1 to a Mexican businessman.
He also claimed it had been mothballed and could not be accessed legally with most of the contents moved to other family members.
Now neighbours – all of whom asked not to be named for fear of reprisals – have rubbished Wildin’s claims.
One said: ‘The Mexican claim is a real laugh. We know that’s all c***. He just gives everyone the run around all the time.’
Another laughed: ‘I’ve not seen a Mexican round here. That’s a figment of his imagination – it’s just another ploy to the council.’
A third neighbour said: ‘I have seen no Mexicans. To be honest with you, he tells lies. You can’t believe one word he says.’
Wildin’s neighbours also allege he is taking his frustration with the council out on them by clogging up the street’s parking spaces with his fleet of classic cars.
Seven vehicles were seen parked on his driveway on Friday 28 April, with a further six identified by neighbours as his parked on the road.
They included a grey Bentley Turbo R, a yellow convertible Jenson-Healey sports car and a burgundy Austin 1100.
One elderly lady living on the road said she was unable to use her drive anymore because two of Wildin’s cars were parked either side of the entrance, making it too difficult for her to get out.
She said: ‘I can get in but I can’t get out. If he moved them it would be okay.
‘Why should I have to move my car? It’s very upsetting because he’s taking it out on us.’
Another said: ‘He sits there watching the cameras and plays cat and mouse with his collection of classic cars.
‘He is a bloody nightmare and he is making people’s lives hell.
‘The illegal sports centre doesn’t worry me but he’s blaming us neighbours for the council’s actions so he’s decided to cause parking mayhem.’
Wildin did not respond to a request to comment at his home.
The Forest of Dean District Council has insisted it is ‘continuing to pursue’ its case against him.
A spokesperson said: ‘We are continuing to pursue the matter and will continue to provide updates on this matter when available.
‘As this is an ongoing legal investigation, we are unable to comment further at this time.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at [email protected].
For more stories like this, check our news page.
Source: Read Full Article