A JURY has unanimously found a 56-year-old Haverfordwest man guilty of defying a council order to remove a caravan and other possessions from land in the Forest of Dean.

The jury of six men and six women returned their verdict on Stephen Chaloner, of Hawthorn Rise, at Gloucester Crown Court last week following a five day trial.

The case concerned an enforcement order on a plot of land at Brockweir Common, equivalent in size to two small rugby pitches.

Judge Michael Cullum suggested Chaloner, who represented himself, he should remove all the items from the site, as per the enforcement notice over the coming months, adding negotiations could then be had with the Forest of Dean District Council in a bid to reduce costs.

Both Chaloner and the district council agreed, provided the task was completed by the sentencing hearing on December 10.

The court heard Forest of Dean District Council received an email in 2017 informing them the land was being cleared for non-agricultural purposes and that a caravan had been installed.

Senior planning officer Rino Van der Hoven said clearing weeds and debris did not need planning permission, however, the placement of a caravan for more than 28 days did.

Prosecutor Harry Ahuja said the council visited the site in July 2017 and wrote to Chalenor and received a reply stating that the plot was not being used for residential purposes.

He told the jury panel that on October 11 an enforcement notice was served requesting Chalenor to remove a caravan, a poly tunnel and its associated fixtures, fittings and relevant paraphernalia, building materials and other materials and equipment from the site by December 10, 2017.

He said the notice was placed on the caravan and to the last known address of the landowner.

The authority’s enforcement team made further visits to the site in January and March 2018, during which time nothing had changed.

Mr Ahuja said: “Mr Chalenor does not dispute that he is the owner of the land and he does not dispute that he is storing unlawful items and equipment on the site.”

Chalenor told the jury he was the victim of a malicious campaign to deprive him of the site.

Chalenor said his mother bought 'Woodspring,' a property within a paddock at Brockweir Common, in 1959. The house and some land was sold in 1976 but the family kept one plot, he said.

Chaloner told the jury neighbouring landowners were now behind a campaign to stop him developing his site for agricultural use since it came into his possession in 2010 and he cited the Magna Carta of 1265 as justification for his actions.

“Common law as the wording suggests applies to everyone. Nobody is above the law, not even the judge. Common law is about fairness and justice and traditionally it is associated with common sense.

“My sister and I inherited the remaining parcel of land and when she signed over her half of the plot to me, I began the slow process of clearing the weeds from the site after decades of neglect.

“It seems I need permission to do this and that in trying to improve the land I am in trouble with the planning laws of this country.

“I never had any intention to live on the site. Once I had cleared enough space I put a caravan on the land as I then had somewhere to go when the weather changed and somewhere to go for refreshments.

“I am completely befuddled by the planning conditions limiting what can be done. Yes, it is in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, but I was just trying to make it presentable again.

“As soon as I put the caravan on the site I started having trouble from neighbouring land owners.”