A millionaire who was jailed after refusing to tear down ‘Britain’s biggest mancave’ has continued his war with his neighbours
Graham Wildin, 70, has spent years refusing to dismantle a 10,000sqft extension to his house with a bowling alley, casino and cinema.
His neighbours in Cinderford, Gloucestershire now say the dispute is worse than ever since his recent release from prison.
They said the wealthy accountant is constantly trying to ‘provoke’ them by parking an armada of classic cars outside their homes.
His illegal extension also has squash courts and a private bar – all of which he fitted without getting planning permission.
He was recently jailed at HMP Cardiff for six weeks in August after failing to comply with a court order issued in June 2021.
But since he was released , neighbours say he’s been ‘taking revenge’ on them by parking a fleet of classic cars in ‘ugly’ plastic covers along their street.
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One neighbour has said he even uses CCTV cameras to spot when neighbours leave their homes – allowing him to nip into their space.
The problem has become so bad, that neighbours said they fear reprisals for speaking out.
One neighbour said: ‘I don’t actually have any problems with him personally.
‘His attitude is just very poor, and he’s taken out his anger at being jailed on his neighbours.
‘He has a fleet of classic cars which he used to park all along the road that would block people from parking outside their houses.
‘There were dozens of them – and now they’re all back. He even waits to see when you leave and spies on us to take our spots when we leave.
‘I think it’s just a campaign to irritate us, he thinks he can do whatever he wants and doesn’t care what people think about him or his life.
‘Some people do react to it, like some plates were ripped off one of his cars, but most of us just try to stay calm around him.’
Mr Wildin found himself embroiled in a lengthy legal row which led to a High Court judge handing down an injunction in 2018.
He built the structure – since expanded to include a pool – without planning permission in 2016 at his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire.
After being given until April 2020 to take it down, he instead defied the council – claiming that dismantling the facility would cost him £720,000 and ‘ruin him’.
But since his release, neighbours say he’s been ‘taking revenge’ on them by parking a fleet of classic cars in ‘ugly’ plastic covers along their street.
One anonymous neighbour says he’s even taken to using a ‘string’ of CCTV cameras to spot when neighbours leave their homes – allowing him to park a car where theirs was.
The problem has become so bad, that neighbours said they fear reprisals for speaking out.
One neighbour said: ‘I don’t actually have any problems with him personally.
‘His attitude is just very poor, and he’s taken out his anger at being jailed on his neighbours.
‘He has a fleet of classic cars which he used to park all along the road that would block people from parking outside their houses.
‘There were dozens of them – and now they’re all back. He even waits to see when you leave and spies on us to take our spots when we leave.
‘I think it’s just a campaign to irritate us, he thinks he can do whatever he wants and doesn’t care what people think about him or his life.
‘Some people do react to it, like some plates were ripped off one of his cars, but most of us just try to stay calm around him.’
Last year, the Court of Appeal rejected his bid to quash a suspended prison sentence given for not removing the structure.
The court also set a deadline of March 10 2022 to demolish it or warned him he would be jailed.
Neighbours said bin lorries and ambulances also could not drive down the road and residents were often unable to drive to work due to their cars being blocked in by Wildin’s vehicles.
Wildin has not responded to requests to comment.
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