Posted on 02/04/2022 8:21:22 PM PST by nickcarraway
A FARMER who flipped a car off his land with a forklift has been cleared after arguing he was "defending" his castle.
Robert Hooper, 57, was captured using the machine to launch the £16,000 Vauxhall Corsa at his farm in Newbiggin-in-Teesdale, County Durham.
Passenger Charlie Burns, 21, who had downed up to seven bottles of beer, was knocked to the ground by the tractor's lifting forks.
But Hooper insisted: "I felt threatened and an Englishman's home is his castle, and my castle starts at that front gate."
The hill farmer has now been cleared of dangerous driving and criminal damage.
Supporters outside Durham Crown Court cheered as the verdict was handed down following a four-day trial.
Jurors had heard how Hooper was aware of an "influx" of youths littering and taking drugs during the summer of last year.
That June, Hooper had a busy day baling silage and had gone back to the farm for his tea before planning to pop out again to carry on working.
Burns meanwhile had been boozing with pals at a local beauty spot and claimed he was intending to walk the 52 miles back home.
He said he then came across his friend Elliott Johnson, whose Corsa had suffered a double puncture meaning they were parked in the farmer's lane.
Hooper told the court he politely asked them to leave as they were blocking access but was punched by Burns - splitting his lip.
He added: "I thought it was time to get out of there, and I said 'If you don't move it, I will'.
"My mind was racing.
"I thought 'We have a bit of a problem here, there's two of them, half my age'. I didn't know what they had in terms of weapons, or what they were capable of doing.
"I thought if the car was off the property, that would be them off the property, out of the way."
His lawyer said Hooper, who had no previous convictions, acted "utterly irrationally" that day.
Speaking after the verdict, partner Kate Henderson said: "The overwhelming support of the local community and people from afar have kept him going during these last eight months of hell.
"We welcome the jury's verdict and are thankful for it."
In England you don’t call the Sheriff, it’s now just a ceremonial office. You call the police, who may or may not show up next week. The forklift wasn’t Russian it was a JCB. The kid was lucky, a big JCB farm tractor would have flattened that Corsa.
Personally I would have preferred using the vacuum tanker and pumping his car full of pig shir.
Not to be confused with Ivor Biggin from Wiggin Hill.
Compliments of Benny Hill.
He could have easily moved the vehicle without destroying it. Punching the landowner was probably a factor here. Was the puncher charged?
HA!
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