A 77-year-old pensioner has been left bankrupt with a £1million legal bill following a six-year dispute with his neighbour over bin placement in rural west Cornwall.
Geoff Carter became embroiled in a legal battle with farmer Trevor Goldsworthy in 2018 over where weekly rubbish collections were placed.
The dispute, which began shortly after Carter moved from Essex to Cornwall for his retirement, has now escalated to catastrophic financial consequences.
“It’s almost a million at the moment but costs keep wracking up and it won’t be long before we cross that threshold,” Carter told The Sun.
A 77-year-old pensioner has been left bankrupt with a £1million legal bill following a row with his neighbour over bins
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“It’s such an awful mess and all this over some garbage from a load of workers who pick cauliflowers,” he added.
The dispute centred on Goldsworthy’s rubbish being left opposite Carter’s drive, which Carter claimed blocked access and attracted flies.
The conflict escalated when Carter’s Skoda Fabia was captured on CCTV being picked up and moved from outside his home by a telehandler.
The machinery was operated by Goldsworthy’s son Simon.
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The initial disagreement occurred just weeks after the Carters moved from Essex to Cornwall
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Carter sought compensation through the courts for alleged damage to his car, but this claim was rejected.
According to Carter, Goldsworthy told the judge they had nowhere else to put the garbage.
The initial disagreement occurred just weeks after the Carters had swapped their Buckhurst Hill, Essex, home for what they hoped would be their dream cottage in Cornwall.
The personal toll of the dispute has been devastating for Carter, who lost his wife Corinne, 69, to cancer three months ago.
“Whatever happens to me, whether I end up in a hole, I have to make this right for my wife. It’s not losing the house that’s upset me, it’s losing my wife,” Carter said.
The widower expressed regret over time lost with Corinne during her final year, which was consumed by legal proceedings.
Carter has been forced to rent alternative accommodation while preparing to declare bankruptcy.
The dispute centred on Goldsworthy’s rubbish (not pictured) being left opposite Carter’s drive, which Carter claimed blocked access and attracted flies
GETTY
The legal battle has depleted all his savings and assets, leaving him with no choice but to put his retirement home up for sale.
After an initial court ruling against him, Carter pursued multiple appeals, all of which proved unsuccessful.
His claims were rejected three times, including at the High Court, leaving him with £420,000 in legal fees.
Carter paid these costs through an equity release on his home and by selling a foreign property.
The latest court ruling has made him liable for an additional £400,000 in legal fees from Goldsworthy’s side.
His attempts to sell his home, once valued at £450,000, have been complicated by court-imposed restrictions.
Auctioneers estimate the property will now only fetch between £250,000 and £280,000.
Adding to his difficulties, Carter must obtain Goldsworthy’s permission before any sale can proceed.