A millionaire accountant who built an unauthorized sports and leisure complex in his garden has been jailed for contempt after refusing to demolish it.
Graham Wildin, from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, was jailed for six weeks by a High Court judge for contempt of court following a hearing in Cardiff.
He has failed to comply with court orders to remove it, having previously been warned several times to demolish the complex behind his home in the Forest of Dean.
The ‘Man Cave’ includes a bowling alley, cinema, squash courts, private casino and bar and was first built in 2014. It then began a long-running planning dispute with the Forest of Dean District Council and led to the closure of the n Wildin at Cardiff Civil Justice Centre.
Wildin, 69, is said to have bought the surrounding homes for his family and is accused of going to war with his neighbors to do everything he could to try and save the 10,000 sq ft leisure complex at the back of his home
Mr Wildin claimed he thought he didn’t need permission when he started construction, but council officers said the building broke planning laws
(SWNS)
Sources said land registry records showed the front and side property had been transferred or sold to a company owned by other members of Mr Wildin’s family.
However, after an eight-year battle, he was ordered by the court to demolish the complex.
He was found in contempt of court last year in custody proceedings for failing to comply with the order. He was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, subject to the complex being permanently dismantled and decommissioned within 18 weeks.
The appeal was dismissed and Mr Wildin was given until March 10 this year to comply with the order.
Mr. Wildin’s man cave was equipped with a bowling alley
(SWNS.com)
Deputy council leader Paul Hiett said: “The enforcement case against Mr Wildin has been a long and complicated road.
“In a situation that should have been completely avoided, Mr Wildin has continually disregarded planning law and the policies that are there to protect local communities.
“The law is the law and we will not give up on pursuing Mr. Wildin and ensuring that he abides by the law in exactly the same way as everyone else.”
“As a council it is important to ensure that development proposals enhance the environment in which they exist whilst protecting the community. Every year hundreds of people ask the council for planning advice and follow it. This is not the case in Mr. Wildin’s case.
“I would again like to thank the people of the Forest for their patience and the tenacity of council officers who continue to push this case forward.
“To protect local communities from behavior such as that we saw in this case, we will continue to pursue those who flout planning policy using the routes set out in the Act.”
After Mr. Wildin serves his sentence, he will still have to remove the building.
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