Neighbours of millionaire accountant, 71, who illegally built ‘Britain’s best man cave’ win court battle forcing him to stop parking his entire collection of classic cars and vans outside their homes

• Graham Wildin parked 11 classic cars and two vans on the Gloucestershire street 
• 71-year-old built 10,000sq ft extension at home in 2014, leading to legal battle 

Neighbours of a millionaire who parked his entire collection of classic cars and vans outside their homes have won a ‘David and Goliath’ court battle.

Graham Wildin, of Cinderford, Gloucestershire, has been parking his 11 classic cars -including a grey Bentley Turbo R and burgundy Austin 1100 – and two vans in the street with a network of CCTV cameras set up to keep watch over them.

Residents on Meendhurst Road complained to Gloucestershire Police that Mr Wildin’s behaviour in monopolising the on-street parking was anti-social and obtained an interim injunction in September limiting the number of vehicles he could park on the road.

Mr Wildin immediately issued an appeal against the injunction, but last week District Judge Napier imposed a full and final injunction order against the millionaire, meaning he will now only be allowed to park two cars on the road plus provision for two visitors, who can only stay for a maximum of eight hours.

The judge also ordered that Mr Wildin cannot keep the CCTV surveillance cameras on the exterior of any vehicle nor on any extendable pole.

The 71-year-old is known as the man who built ‘Britain’s biggest man cave’ with a bar, bowling alley, cinema and casino at his home without planning consent in 2014, resulting in a long-running legal battle with the Forest of Dean District Council, leading to a six weeks jail term because of his defiance.

The 71-year-old is known as the man who built ‘Britain’s biggest man cave’ with a bar, bowling alley, cinema and casino at his home without planning consent in 2014

Graham Wildin, of Cinderford, Gloucestershire, has been parking his 11 classic cars -including a grey Bentley Turbo R and burgundy Austin 1100 – and two vans in the street with a network of CCTV cameras set up to keep watch over them

Residents on Meendhurst Road complained to Gloucestershire Police that Mr Wildin’s behaviour in monopolising the on-street parking was anti-social and obtained an interim injunction in September limiting the number of vehicles he could park on the road

In March this year, the millionaire lost his fifth court battle over the 10,000sq/ft man cave extension at the rear of his home when three High Court judges declared it was right to jail him for defying court orders – despite Mr Wildin claiming he had sold the building to a Mexican for just £1. 

The complaints against the eccentric pensioner led to a panel being assembled by ‘Solace’ – a partnership between Gloucestershire police and the county’s district and city councils to prevent, investigate and tackle anti-social behaviour – who were responsible for obtaining the initial injunction. 

READ MORE: Millionaire accountant who illegally built ‘Britain’s best man cave’ is given injunction to stop him being a nuisance to neighbours amid row over his classic car collection and CCTV cameras

During the two-day trial, Gloucester County Court heard that Mr Wildin had placed parking fine notices on a number of neighbours vehicles blocking his driveway.

The court was also told that because of the amount of vehicles parked in the road, a Forest of Dean District Council bin lorry was unable to collect the rubbish.

Mr Wildin disputed this and numerous other issues through his legal representative Sasha Wass KC.

During the trial, at which Solace sought a full and final injunction order, Mr Wildin’s lawyer maintained that his neighbours were at fault and claimed that, apart from one occasion, he had not blocked his neighbours’ driveways with any of his vehicles.

It was claimed by the prosecutuion, led by Victoria Fennell, that Mr Wildin moved his classic car collection onto the street to create parking chaos in a bid to force the authorities to make a U-turn about the man cave.

Mr Wildin was ordered to pay his own legal costs, believed to be in the region of £80,000, plus £5,000 towards Solace’s costs.

The judge did remove one interim condition over causing a nuisance and annoyance to others and also the power of arrest if he failed to comply with the injunction.

After the hearing the anti-social behaviour case review, co-ordinator for Solace Di Blandford – a retired detective – said it was a victory for the neighbours who had collaborated together to bring this action. 

Graham Wildin was jailed after refusing to demolish ‘Britain’s biggest man cave’

The ‘man cave’ featured a bowling alley, casino, squash courts, soft play zone for his grandchildren and a cinema

Mr Wildin was ordered to pay his own legal costs, believed to be in the region of £80,000, plus £5,000 towards Solace’s costs

Ms Blandford added: ‘The residents of Meendhurst Road had become frustrated in that when they came home there was nowhere to park near their homes because Mr Wildin had taken up all the available spaces with his collection of cars. 

‘This is the first prosecution under anti-social behaviour legislation, involving car parking disputes. I am pleased that a large contingent of those affected by Mr Wildin’s antics were able to see the process in action and the injunction being supported by the justice system.

‘It felt like a David versus Goliath victory for the neighbours, thanks to the efforts of our prosecutor.’

Ms Fennell said after the trial: ‘I am very pleased with the outcome of the hearing for all of the residents of Meendhurst Road.’

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