June 05 .................... Intimidation becomes more threatening.......

 
The intimidation was getting worse and taking on a physical side. We were now constantly being waylaid as we went out and came back home.  Friends visiting were also subjected to the Thomases unwelcome presence as they had to stop to open the gate.  Karen Thomas was spending a lot of time in the right of way area and was now constantly either filming us or taking pictures over our gate. She was also videoing anyone arriving to visit as they drove down the right of way.   Our local farmer had been threatened.  He had been told not to cut our fields and three of his tyres on his land rover had been cut.

Due to the local police not giving us any support we had turned to the media.  We had also made contact with an ex police officer for guidance and advice.

July 05

Our friendly farmer had come again to turn the hay.  He stayed and had a cup of tea with me, and  asked if I would open the gate the Thomases had erected at the top of our right of way as the lane  was now too narrow for him to get out of his tractor.  I had gone ahead of him and opened the gate.  As he drove out Karen Thomas was waiting for him in order to take pictures of him.

I began walking back down the right of way when I was aware Karen Thomas was following down behind me.  I then felt a huge push into my shoulder which knocked me into the metal crash barriers.  As I recovered she was standing in front of me blocking my way.  Her very threatening body language, hands on hips, was shocking.  She refused to move out of my way. When I asked her to move out of my way and never to do that to me again her response was "what are you going to do about it".  I naturally felt very threatened and scared by her as there was no-one else around  - I was totally alone again, and I knew the police would say there were no witnesses.  I was awaiting a hip operation at the time and this was appalling behaviour to be assaulted in this way, and clearly the nature of the intimidation had taken on a different tone.  She warned me to stay out of her business, then stepped aside and allowed me to walk down to my gate.  I reported this to the police but as I expected I was told 'it's your word against hers'.   Again, if the police had asked to view her CCTV cameras they would have seen exactly what had occurred, but they declined my suggestion.

Eddie was constantly being confronted in the right of way as he left for work, as he stopped to open the top gate - a gate which had been installed to make life difficult for us.  One particular morning as Eddie was walking back to his car after opening the gate to drive out, the neighbour was as usual in the right of way and deliberately barged into him knocking him into his car.  This behaviour was completely alien to us.  As we didn't have any security, but did have a camcorder, I took to filming Eddie driving out each morning.  In the evening, he would stop and telephone me when he was close to home, and again I would film him driving back in. What had our lives become?   This camera was thus far our only witness, but would hopefully deter the neighbours from these physical threats in our right of way.  We had no other way out of our property and this couldn't go on.

Wherever we were on our property the neighbours would make their presence felt.  Whether we were working in our garden - tending to our horse - mucking out stables  - playing with our four dogs etc. we would be whistled at or called out to.  Karen Thomas would frequently be leaning over our gate, watching us over the boundary hedges, or sitting on the bank behind their newly erected shed.  We were followed around wherever we went.  I was feeling a prisoner in my own home as I was becoming more nervous and anxious whenever I had to go outside.  I wasn't enjoying the garden any more nor was I wanting to go down to the stables. Our lives were no longer pleasurable.

Beer bottles and beer cans were now appearing on our fields along with old knuckle bones.  Sheep skulls were hung on branches of trees around our boundary.  We felt impotent and at our neighbours mercy. I had begun to believe there was some other reason the police were not giving us any support.  Having made contact with a barrister and a race relations director in Cardiff they both confirmed the police should have been doing more to help us, especially as there was a history of aggressive and threatening behaviour towards others before us.   We were becoming desperate for help.

Andrew Thomas had taken to tailgating us as we drove out, and on this day drove his HGV within feet of our small car.  I was terrified.  We felt compelled to drive faster and faster to get away from him.  It was the wrong thing to do but when feeling under such threat knowing we had no support from anyone, flight instinct takes over.  The first chance we had, we swerved off the road, at speed, and let him drive past us.   His conduct was menacing, and of course again, we reported it to the police.  The police said they were logging these incidents but no action as yet could be taken because it was our word against theirs.  This was the theme.  When we spoke to our kindly ex police officer over these matters he was adamant that this was wrong.  He said the police do not require witnesses when there is a clear pattern of behaviour and should have been at the very least warning the neighbours.   I had always believed the police protected people against this kind of dangerous behaviour, but in our case they weren't.  The feeling of isolation just kept growing.

Our lives were a total misery and we were suffering in the same way as the two families before us had suffered.  Not only were we now abused on a regular basis but we were still having to contend with the noise from industrial machinery, maintenance on HGVs, horrendous noise from the constant quarrying and the many other disturbances to our quality of life.  It was obvious that Blaenpant was being developed for an ever expanding industrial business - with zero planning permissions and we were suffering the consequences of it.  
We had by now logged a long list of incidents with the police but still no intervention nor help from them, even though they were aware of the nature of the neighbours and their intimidation and threats to others.   Carmarthen Council were continuing to deny the existence of the obvious haulage business and the many other industrial operations from a site within meters of our home, even though there was an abundance of evidence to warrant enforcement and most certainly applications for change of use to industrial.  It appeared that the neighbours had the support of all local authorities and we had none.  It certainly felt that way and was a very lonely place to be in.   Our plans had to be put on hold and our future was exceedingly bleak. We had no chance of getting away from this nightmare situation.


July 05
 
It was a Sunday and I had driven to the post box which was about a quarter of a mile away to post letters.  As I was returning the neighbours drove past me in the opposite direction. Karen Thomas gesticulated at me from the passenger seat, but I was relieved at least I didn't have to contend with name calling as I entered my home.  I had no longer opened the gate at the top of our right of way, than the neighbours were driving back down towards me.  They had followed me back home.  I was taunted and then assaulted for a second time.  Statements were taken and eventually I was the one arrested and charged with assault.  Yet again the police chose not to view the Thomases CCTV which would have shown the entire incident and shown Karen Thomas assaulting me.  This was seriously wrong, and only added to my belief that the police were acting against us and were for some reason reluctant to take any form of action against our neighbours.  This became the scariest time of my life.   Carmarthen Council were doubtlessly responsible for the nightmare that was now our life. Due to their unwillingness to follow correct planning procedures which was allowing an industrial business to flourish unimpeded, and their denial to everyone who asked questions, that there was no such business operating, they were encouraging aggressive and threatening behaviour towards anyone who was aggrieved by it.  The violent nature of the neighbours towards us should have caused concern to the Chief Executive of this authority.  The TV documentary alone should have seen the end of our nightmare as the truth was shown.   The question still remains today - what was - and still is, the relationship between someone employed by Carmarthen Council and these people, that has caused so many people to have suffered at their hands.

It was imperative now that we install some sort of camera at the top of our driveway as witness to the shocking behaviour of the Thomases, ignored by both the local police and Carmarthen Council. 

Due to my continued complaints to Carmarthen Council about the disturbance to our lives caused by this industrial site I was advised to write to the Ombudsman. I wrote to the Ombudsman but it is no easy task to put together a complaint to the PSOW.  I believed it was enough to simply outline a general complaint.  It is not, and due to my naivety in not putting together enough information, my complaint wasn't investigated.  This is somewhat different to a complaint being investigated and not upheld.  However it is usual it seems that Carmarthen Council play on the fact that a complaint not being investigated somehow exonerates them from any wrongdoing and use it as a weapon against you for ever more when putting in further complaints to them.  The Ombudsman has recently said "the fact a complaint has not been investigated does not mean you didn't have a justified complaint, it just means it didn't warrant resources being spent".  Carmarthen Council need to understand that.

The neighbours had by now received a letter from the council advising them to remove the huge blue lorry away from our cottage, but a few weeks later after the Thomases had refused to move it, the Council took the view this was an agricultural storage unit for a few bales of hay.  It seemed irrelevant that they had just built a huge shed which now towered over us, for the storage of hay.

End of July......We were awoken this sunny morning to the noise from a JCB within inches of our bedroom window.  Our small cottage vibrated from this industrial monster of a machine.  It was removing all of the grass around the area we looked out onto.  We were fearful of what was coming next!   Metal fencing panels arrived a few days later together with an old container and another smaller structure that appeared to be the rear of a small pick-up.  We were left with a sinking sickening feeling.  The neighbours had more plans for us.  Something was going to arrive - but what?   How do you describe the worry and the feeling of being constantly under threat with no-one to help or care?   Bullying of any kind should not be acceptable to either the police nor the local authority, but when it is directly related to the council's negligence, it becomes somewhat sinister.

 

August 05
 
Another week went by and still nothing had appeared under our windows.  We had been shopping, and as always we had a feeling of foreboding upon our return, as we never knew what we were going to be facing.  We were now to discover what the removal of grass - the metal fencing panels - the rusty old container was for.  We were now sleeping within feet of a couple of piglets.  I was also soon to discover the names Karen Thomas had chosen for them....

An abundance of evidence..............


June 2005............Carmarthen Council had ample evidence on which to take enforcement action against an unauthorised haulage business operating without planning consents. They also had an abundance of evidence of aggressive and threatening conduct from the hauliers towards others to warrant serious concern for our welfare.

From the first phone call I made to the Enforcement Manager following the revelations from the two Council officers who first visited me in early 2004 that there had been a history of problems between these two properties, it was the responsibility of this Council to ensure I was not going to be intimidated and abused simply for making my conerns known to them. 
 
From 2001 Carmarthen Council had been in receipt of photos and logs from a previous owner of our property together with several letters detailing the nature of the unauthorised uses at Blaenpant, which included maintenance of HGVs - quarrying - removal of rock in lorry loads from the unit - power hosing etc.  CCC had also been advised of intimidation and aggressive behaviour and threats being made by the hauliers that any further complaints from owners of our property would result in the right of way being changed to 'make life difficult'.  

CCC had received many letters from other local people in 2001/2/3 advising them that this haulage business was being operated from this property, seven days a week, including some from the Community Council. Another local resident had sent the Council a written log together with letters advising them of the unauthorised quarrying and that lorries carrying the rock were travelling down the road past his house.  Mark James, the newly appointed Chief Executive had also been requested to look into matters sometime in 2002.

My local councillor was impotent.  When asking questions of Eifion Bowen he was told the neighbours were agricultural, there was no evidence of unauthorised quarrying and no evidence of industrial activities.   He and everyone locally knew there was.  On one hand officers Brian Canning and Eifion Bowen were saying they didn't monitor outside office hours and yet at the meeting Eddie had with Brian Canning in May 2005 he suggested we keep a log of lorry movements and said quote   "make a note of when vehicles are there because you will find a pattern, these things are never random, we will then visit at the appropriate time whether 6.o clock in the morning or 2 o clock in the morning"  unquote.  I had suggested to Mr. Canning in 2004 that if he drove down the B4297 any evening or any weekend he would be able to evidence for himself the activities taking place.  He told me at the time, this wasn't possible as they do not work outside office hours, do not have the resources etc.  None of the excuses were credible and merely added to the belief that the hauliers were being given favours by Carmarthen Council's planning department to run this business without proper consents.

Unauthorised quarrying again  - unbearable noise.

There was no doubt left officers were wilfully allowing this industrial business to develop without planning and change of use, and were allowing industrial sheds to be built using agricultural rights where there was zero agriculture taking place. 

 

Oppressive Industrial shed built on raised ground.

Officers of Carmarthen Council were also ignoring the intimidation and threatening behaviour we were now facing, with Brian Canning and Eifion Bowen accusing us of making unfounded complaints and causing a 'neighbour dispute'.

Outside bedroom window - what's coming next?

Almost each and every day Eddie and I now faced the prospect of being waylaid by the neighbours within the confines of our right of way,  'your metal enclosure' as the neighbours liked to call it. We were also taunted whenever we went out and again on coming home.  Many a day I couldn't face going out as coming home was such an ordeal. 

We were followed out of our home and tailgated as part of the threatening behaviour we were now having to endure. Friends visiting would also be confronted as they stopped to open the gate at the top of the driveway, and Karen Thomas would sometimes take their photograph. 

We were on our own and needed help and so I had made contact with a retired senior police officer who had great sympathy for the ordeal we were now facing.  He offered us good sound advice when we were feeling at our lowest knowing we were not getting the support we should have had from our local police.  He advised us that the police could intervene using the Harassment Act to protect us from the escalating anti social behaviour.  Having asked for an officer to call us, WPC McWilliams from our local police station rang and advised us the Harassment Act could not be used in our case.  This was odd because according to a local person who had experienced a far lesser problem with a neighbour WPC McWilliams had used the Act in her case.  After speaking to an Inspector the local police officers were told that the Act could and should be used.  We were advised to log each incident with the police.

With excuses for our neighbours coming thick and fast from both the Council and the local police every time we sought their help, it was patently obvious we were not going to have any support or protection from them.  The harassment was being ignored by the police and the ongoing industrial operations were continuing to impact upon our quality of life and ignored by the Council.  I questioned our rights, did we have any?  I believed we had a right to peaceful enjoyment of our home.  It seemed not - certainly not as far as our neighbours and Carmarthen Council were concerned. 

Living as isolated as we were it was a very frightening prospect that the threatening nature of our neighbours was being ignored.   We decided to go ahead with the documentary as to publicly shed light on our impossible plight would give us a form of safeguard. 


16th. June 2005  Wales This Week documentary

Following this documentary which substantiated our complaints as being genuine and justified, I fully expected the Council to accept the horrendous position they had placed us in and offer us the support we deserved.    It was not to be  - Eifion Bowen made our situation even worse, if that was possible, by accusing me of doctoring film footage, and when the Minister from the Welsh Assembly wrote to him having seen the programme, he accused ITV of conspiring to doctor the footage also.  Yet again incredible accusations to cover up the truth.  

"You created this war, you've got war"!

Andrew and Karen Thomas declared war on us.  Carmarthen Council and the local police were fully aware that this conduct had been realised upon two former owners already and we were the third. The difference now is that due to the history of threats being reined down on several people and the right of way being a further weapon used against us, we were now trapped, and had zero prospect of being able to sell and move away from this nightmare.

Less than two weeks after the programme had been aired, our local farmer came to cut our fields as he had done the previous year.   As he entered through the newly erected gate, Karen Thomas stopped him to advise him in her way, not to cut our fields.  He told us what she had said and we made it easy for him to cancel our agreement if he chose to.  He did cut our fields but a few days later when visiting us, having left his landrover parked across the road from us, upon returning to his vehicle found three tyres had been cut.  We paid for these as we felt responsible.  Of course it was reported to the local police but as always and expected now, we were told as there were no witnesses no action could be taken.  This would be correct, except the neighbours had many CCTV cameras dotted around their property which the police could have insisted upon viewing if they were of a mind to, which would would have shown the perpetrator.  They chose not to.

Following this incident and previous incidents which were being ignored, I felt our decision to agree to the television documentary was a positive one.  We might have been in danger and the programme would in some way be a form of protection for us.  It wasn't coming from the authorities.  If two VOSA officers were put in fear by the neighbours it would be obvious we would be feeling that way too.

'No substance to any allegations of an unauthorised haulage business'.... fourteen months later.

Our punishment - new outlook from our windows

March 05..  the bank being built directly opposite us is causing much worry and stress


Preparations for the enormous shed were an added continuing disturbance to any peace for us.  The bank opposite our small cottage had more than doubled in height from it's original gentle slope. Surely the neighbours shed wasn't going to be erected at this newly created height. It would dwarf our cottage if this were to be the case.

April 05

By now I had written several letters to Eifion Bowen Head of Planning and Brian Canning Enforcement Manager.  My M.P. had also written further letters.  There had been site visits and a report issued by Eifion Bowen saying..............'there was no substance to the allegations'..........'no breach of planning control'.....'lorries were only intermittently parked at Blaenpant'....'maintenance was only occasional'.....'no evidence to pursue enforcement' ......'no evidence of quarrying'.....and so on.    With regard to the removal of the large blue lorry parked alongside our cottage - Eifion Bowen said ............'it is a temporary structure used in conjunction with agriculture and is used for storage of hay, therefore no breach of planning identified'.

Vehicle and Operators Services (VOSA) the agency who are responsible for operators licences and who ensure hauliers are abiding by the regulations had monitored the neighbouring property - unlike Carmarthen Council's Enforcement Department, and had evidenced for themselves that there were indeed several lorries being operated from this address without licence. They issued official reports stating this fact and included in their statements that they were 'abused, intimidated and threatened, and had to leave the premises as they were in fear of their safety', when carrying out their site visit.   This further evidence was sent to Carmarthen Council. 

Carmarthen Council had been informed of this haulage business since 2001 by several local people including two former owners of our property - and now us.  It was now conspicuously evident that someone or some ones, within Carmarthen council were allowing these people to continue without planning permissions and change of use.
 
A meeting was arranged with Mr. Canning and our representative from Country landowners, to discuss our ongoing problems in the hope he would finally accept the truth and get the council to take responsibility for the situation they had placed us in.

More quarrying

May 05

Meeting with Brian Canning.........There was only one defining aspect of this meeting with Mr. Canning (Enforcement Manager) which was Mr. Canning's inability to address any of the points made to him with any honesty,  blustering the entire way through the meeting.  He had mastered the technique of avoiding answering direct questions which had clearly been practised over many years as he was so adept in them.

Having had clear evidence presented to him from a reputable person that this haulage business (the subject of the meeting) was definitely not operating from it's official centre, taken together with years of evidence from many other sources that they were in fact operating from Blaenpant.....his response was this..........."what we have done, and Keith James who knows quarrying like the back of his hand, and he knows the heavy goods vehicle trade, he worked for Celtic Energy for twenty five years, and he knows what he is talking about when it comes to these things.  Now clearly, and I'm not quite sure what's being suggested here. Now we've set out in that letter as well we know and like anybody who knows and understands the lorry taxi operator and you own a taxi licence as I understand...". bumbling on and on.

Another example of how to deny an undeniable unauthorised haulage business was for Brian Canning to say this.........."obviously they can't have four five six or seven lorries parking there on a regular basis...... the fact that the lorry drivers turned up because it's her birthday or something is um.... its got to be a regular occurrence".  At this juncture Eddie pointed out that he'd just been shown photographs of large numbers of lorries parked every day over a period of months and had possession of video evidence showing lorries leaving in the mornings on a daily basis, plus evidence from two VOSA officers confirming several lorries were operating from the site.  Brian Canning's response was....."I know, I'm talking about in the future".  

This meeting proved beyond doubt that Carmarthen Council were going to allow the neighbours businesses to continue, unchallenged, irrespective of any evidence we put forward. Mr. Canning suggested we keep a log of numbers of HGVs over a period of months saying 'if you can show HGVs parked at Blaenpant on a regular basis the council would take a look at it'. He already had been shown and advised of an abundance of evidence. To suggest another log at this stage was insulting.

More old tyres for burning

It was clear the scene had been set. KBHS had the wink and nod from the council to continue with their unauthorised business and all the other noisy activities that went with it.  Carmarthen Council's planning department had firmly decided to turn a blind eye, which meant our quality of life had been reduced to living with permanent industrial noise, not being able to enjoy the pretty home we had bought, and the plans we had, were no longer.  We didn't want to be living adjacent to a noisy industrial site, one that was going to get bigger and in all probability even noisier. 

I wrote to the Mark James the Chief Executive explaining our difficulties asking him to look into why these two officers were blindly refusing to accept the truth, as the operations next door were undeniable and making our lives a perfect misery.  My letters to Mark James produced no comfort, only more distress as he blindly agreed with these two officers there was no evidence on which to take action.
  The industrial nature of the neighbours business was growing - the quarrying was ongoing - the maintenance on lorries was common place - the workshop was being used both Saturdays and Sundays for welding - power hosing added to it all. This was our life now, living adjacent to a noisy industrial site which the council knew about and were totally ignoring.

Shed being erected on artificially raised levels, higher than our chimney

More fires at night

We had support from Country Landowners who were as appalled as our solicitors were. Further letters were written on our behalf from those who were experts in planning matters asking why the council were not following procedure.  Every letter written had the same response, saying............'site visit confirmed there was no breach of planning'.......the neighbours were 'allowed one lorry but two would be a different matter'.   They were in fact using eight.

Knowing the neighbouring property was in a SSSI/SAC zone, (Special Area of conservation and Site of Scientific Interest) where special permissions have to be sought for any kind of development, was to cause more distress.  Every tree over one entire area was uprooted using a JCB and the small area of woodland running alongside our fields where Badgers were living, wasn't spared either as trees were pushed over to make way for containers, lorries and industrial equipment.

When purchasing this smallholding the landscape was important to us and played a huge part in helping us decide we wanted to be here, therefore it was exceedingly upsetting to witness aggressive and unnecessary destruction of an area of beauty.  The lack of concern from the council made it clear that our neighbours were immune from any controls, and their activities were going to continue.

Friends visiting were shocked at how we were being treated by our local authority and one friend in particular had contacted the media in the hope that exposure of our impossible situation would lead the council to accept their responsibilities and help restore normality back into our lives.

 The agricultural storage shed for tractor amd implements

A local person who was aware of our plight who had previously been a councillor, had also written to the Minister (Jane Davidson) as she too believed the council's attitude towards us was appalling.  The outcome of that letter was at least a little positive in that her department actually asked for evidence of what we perceived to be the failings of Planning and Enforcement and decided to keep a file on our case. The file was labelled 'a special case' and over the following two years I was to send to Jane Davidson's department much evidence of dishonest conduct from these departments.

Another blow to our plans - due to the much narrowed width of our right of way - Health and Safety had advised us that we could not go ahead with the cattery as we could not now comply with fire regulations, even though we had planning permission.

 
As the torment escalated we believed it could only be due to the support we had from others who were writing to the council on our behalf.   The right of way was now being used as a means of exploiting our vulnerability.  Ponies were now being taken out of the field and left to wander in our right of way.  In order to go out we now had to ask the neighbours if they would move them.  Vehicles would be parked across the top gate and left there, which meant we couldn't go out.  It was an impossible situation.  We felt trapped in a property that was no longer a pleasure to be living in - next to a growing industrial unit - being regularly tormented.  If the police weren't going to help us perhaps the council's own anti social behaviour department would, especially as they knew the neighbours had a history of threatening two other families before us.

The meeting with the council's anti social behaviour co-ordinator went well, she was very sympathetic and advised us that she would arrange a multi agency meeting.  I needed her to understand that our argument was not with my neighbours.  Carmarthen Council had created an untenable situation for us, and it was their responsibility to ensure we didn't have to live with the intimidation from the Thomases that was of their making.

Karen Thomas being a nuisance whilst Eddie was leaving for work.

A multi agency meeting had been held but disappointingly we weren't invited.  A letter duly arrived advising us that there was no evidence of antisocial behaviour, therefore no help was available to us.  I was to discover at a later date that the two officers who had met together and decided our fate were Eifion Bowen Head of Planning and Inspector Edwards.   Mr. Bowen officially ruled out anti social behaviour saying that the behaviour was more to do with planning matters, and Inspector Edwards (the same police officer who had denied the Thomases had followed Eddie to work against evidence they had) ruled that our complaints were 'petty, trivial and frivolous'.  

We were to receive no help from the Council and no help from the local police either.  Another green light to two people who had already shown aggressive and threatening behaviour to several people before we came to live here.  We needed help.  We were feeling very much under threat - and not just from the neighbours.

 ITV had made contact with us and like everybody, other than the council and the local police, were shocked at the lack of concern for our impossible situation.  They wanted to cover our story and I truly believed this would convince the council that they were in the wrong and that they would put an end to our nightmare.

Things don't improve....................

One year and one month on.........................

April - a further addition

I had purposely avoided any confrontation with the neighbours throughout this time as history had shown they were capable of extreme unpleasantness towards anyone who criticised their unauthorised industrial businesses.  My M.P.s letter to the council had kick started a bullying campaign against us and daily life was now a constant worry.   The alterations to our once pretty right of way was proving difficult.  The neighbours insisted the gate they had erected at the top end was to be kept shut at all times.  It was totally unnecessary as it was a stretch of lane off the main road and only ran down to us.  They hadn't left the side gates open for their many horses to wander from field to paddock as had been threatened, so why insist on this gate being closed all the time.  Because the lane was so steep and now so narrow, it was problematic for us being older people and not so agile, as the car door could not be opened fully, and the metal crash barriers that protruded made it even worse.  It was a struggle to get out of the car and being on a steep slope made it more difficult.  Each day, having to stop on a very steep incline, wriggle out of the car to open a gate which had been deliberately erected to cause  difficulties, added to the awareness of the appalling situation we had found ourselves embroiled in.  Due to the limited space available it was difficult to avoid brushing up against the dirty crash barriers.

We had contacted a solicitor through Country Landowners Association (whom we were now members of) for advice on what our options were with regard to the devastating alterations to our once pretty right of way.  This was going to cost us money - money that was meant for the cattery.
Two very nice, helpful solicitors came and were appalled.  Whilst they were taking pictures and measuring the width of our right of way, Karen Thomas made her presence felt with sarcastic comments and constant filming.    Another bad day.

Our newly appointed solicitors had advised us this conduct by our neighbours would be seen as vindictive and their behaviour was totally unacceptable. We had no alternative but to take out a civil case against our neighbours to get these obstructions removed. 

Our solicitors said that the width of the Right of Way was also illegal and we should contact the Fire Service.  The fire officer visited and was extremely supportive and disgusted at the actions of our neighbours.  They advised that the width the neighbours had left us with was dangerous, because a fire engine would not be able to access our property in the event of a fire. The Fire Service wrote a letter to the neighbours advising them they should widen our one and only access, and a copy was also sent to the council.  No heed was paid to it, not from the council nor the neighbours.

Eddie was working out of Carmarthen and we had now lost a large part of our income. This meant the cattery had to be put on hold, as we had solicitors fees to pay.  The neighbours spiteful actions in altering our right of way in this manner had to be challenged through the courts. We were now embroiled in a legal battle which we had never planned for, certainly never wanted nor expected.

I desperately needed the council to accept that our lives were being made a misery from the many industrial activities taking place next door.  We had nothing to lose now by attempting to get the council to take some form of responsibility.   If they did intervene, we might at least be able to enjoy some peace and quiet, and enjoy our new home in the way we believed was our right.  I found it incredulous that so many people had been telling this council about the unauthorised uses at this location but the council had seemingly ignored it all.   We were not able to enjoy our home due to the daily noise from HGVs coming and going, maintenance, power hosing and anything else the neighbours chose to do, but they on the other hand appeared to be immune from any form planning legislation.  During phone calls to Eifion Bowen and Brian Canning alerting them to our right of way being drastically changed into a metal corridor, and why, they continued to be defensive of our neighbours, showing a reluctance to take any of my concerns on board.  I kept asking myself how something so obvious was being denied.

Someone from Carmarthen council wasn't being honest. I was hearing through local gossip that our neighbours had connections and the council were turning a blind eye.  It now seemed to me this was possibly the case.  Nobody could deny the industrial nature of what was taking place, and had been since 2001 when the hauliers had moved in.

The enquiries I had now made with the council and others regarding the quarrying, had confirmed that rock could only be extracted for use on the farm, it could not be taken away. This should have safeguarded us from this particular offensive activity.  It didn't. The quarrying away of rock continued and the rock continued to be taken away in lorry loads. A local person along with previous owners of this property had advised the council of this particular activity long before we came to live here, so it was surprising the council had not taken steps to stop this.  It was impossible to carry out our own chores outside having to listen to the noise from a JCB loading rock onto lorries.  It was so miserable. Whenever we tried working outside we inevitably had to give up what we were doing and come back inside. The noise was horrendous. This took place almost every weekend, and there was no escape from HGVs either coming and going, some bringing in old tyres ready for burning at night, and others carrying materials that this type of business would be using.  One thing for sure didn't take place, and that was farming.   Everything was strongly suggesting the council liked our neighbours and were going to allow them free rein to continue expanding this industrial site - at a cost to anyone living in our property.

I wrote and asked that they do something about these businesses.   Eifion Bowen and Brian Canning insisted site visits were necessary to ascertain if indeed there was a haulage business operating.  I could never understand why they didn't do as I had suggested and simply view the property from the main road - after all it couldn't have been more obvious.   A drive down the B4297 on a Saturday or Sunday would have proven what everyone was telling them, and it wouldn't have been too much to ask that an enforcement department do this.

But they insisted they didn't work outside office hours and it had to be a site visit only.  A site visit wasn't going to expose maintenance on HGVs - rock being quarried - welding - scrap being cut - power hosing and all of the other activities I was telling them about - was it?  As site visits were arranged in advance and only took place during office hours, with most of the lorries having already gone out for the day, it was fait accompli.  It seemed to me the council didn't want to see anything untoward.

Following his site visit, Eifion Bowen insisted there was no evidence of a haulage business operating from Blaenpant - after all he alleged, they had an official centre in Tumble.  This was the line taken by Eifion Bowen and Brian Canning and they were not going to budge from it no matter what I or anyone else said.  I took great exception to the suggestion I was being less than honest knowing exactly who was.  Eifion Bowen said there was no evidence of quarrying either!  I knew this was dishonest, as the hauliers had been gradually getting rid of the quarry over the past four years by this time.

Brian Canning had suggested I take photographs of the lorries, but I had already taken pictures of the many lorries parked adjacent to our cottage, but had been told these were just parked temporarily over the Christmas period.  Another explanation from E. Bowen was that the lorries were 'visiting'.  I was also told to keep a log.  As they had on file pictures of lorries from the former owners of our property, and a log of movement of lorries from two local people, why would a few more pictures of lorries and another log, convince these two officers of something they clearly they did not want to accept.  It was becoming more and more apparent that something was very wrong. 

It was always my contention that the onus should not have been upon us to prove anything.  I told this to my local councillor, who said this was normal practice for councils to issue logs and ask for evidence.  I explained to him that I was very unhappy at being asked to gather evidence.  If I was going to have to provide evidence this was clearly going to provoke even more reaction from my unpleasant neighbours.  The council had received many complaints for four years by this time and I didn't want it to be my responsibility to have to prove anything.  As far as I was concerned, it was their responsibility to monitor and gather evidence and take appropriate action.  My councillor understood what I was saying but said this is how councils work.  I told him that if these two officers weren't believing what others had been telling them over a period of two and a half years, and they weren't believing me another fourteen months on, why would a few more pictures of lorries and another written log convince them.  How was I to take pictures anyway - ask the Thomases if they minded me going onto their property to do this?  If this is proper procedure then something needed to change. Surely council's take into account different circumstances and adapt to them.

I believed that in these particular circumstances where there had already been a history of serious aggression and intimidation towards people who had lived here, it was wrong for the council to place the responsibility upon me to prove unauthorised businesses.  This was wrong of the council to be putting me under further threat by gathering evidence for them. They knew that our neighbours had already begun a campaign against us and in my opinion were making matters even worse for us. My councillor was sympathetic but could offer no other way around our growing problem. I felt that there should have been measures in place for circumstances such as ours. We lived in an isolated location next to two people who were capable of extreme behaviour.

I told Mr. Canning that as he and Eifion Bowen were not accepting the pictures I had already taken, I would film the lorries leaving in the early morning with my camcorder.  The neighbours wouldn't even have to know and it would be just a short piece of film footage of lorry movements as opposed to stills which proved nothing.  Surely this would be enough to convince anyone!  As I was already awake at 6 a.m. every morning anyway, I filmed cars arriving and lorries leaving over a period of a week or two.  This was inarguable evidence - surely?  I informed Eifion Bowen I had done this and would he like to see it.  I sent a copy to the council.  I also began keeping a log of numbers of lorries.
  
The neighbours would have been aware by now that my local councillor was visiting regularly. The day following another of his visits, I took my rubbish bags to the top of the right of way and was about to deposit them on the verge as I had been doing for the past thirteen months, when the neighbours shouted to me.  As they approached, they told me I couldn't leave them there as they owned the verge and they didn't wish for me to leave my bags there any more.  I told them that I thought the council owned verges, but they insisted the verge was theirs and I was not to deposit my rubbish bags on their verge.   I didn't argue - I brought them back down and for the following two years we took our own rubbish to the local refuse tip. 

The neighbours dogs were becoming a real problem now as the barking throughout the night just seemed to be getting worse.  Is this being encouraged?  Do we report this or do we sleep downstairs.  What a nightmare our lives had become and in such a short space of time.  If only the council had listened to local people and the former two owners of our property. We wouldn't be living here at all.  If only if only.................

A few days after the rubbish bag incident, we returned from shopping and had stopped at the top of the right of way as there was a great deal of noise coming from the quarry area. As always there was noise, but this sounded like quarrying - again.  The neighbours saw us looking and took exception to us being inquisitive.  As they began to approach us, not wanting any confrontation, we drove down to our gate.  Karen Thomas ran down our right of way alongside our car.  We drove onto our property and as Eddie was getting out of our car to close our gate, Karen Thomas spread eagled herself across it, preventing him from closing it.  AT was following closely behind her, in a rage, and launched into a tirade of abuse - telling us to 'wise up' 'get back over the bridge if we knew what was good for us' - to 'stay out of their business' etc - poking Eddie in the chest.  It was horrific and alien to me and very frightening.  We had never experienced anything like this before.  Eventually Eddie had to pull the gate closed whilst KT attempted to keep it open.  Once the gate had been closed and bolted, we drove down towards our cottage but they remained at our gate continuing shouting abuse at us. We reported this incident to the police and it was to become one of many such incidents in the years that followed. 

WPC McWilliams and another officer visited - eventually - and advised us that as there were no witnesses there was nothing they could do for us.  Living as isolated as we were, there was never likely to be any witness.  This was very disturbing as it was clear we were literally on our own.  As the council were aware of the intimidation towards others who had lived here,  I presumed the local police would also be aware.  They were already aware of  several unprovoked incidents such as the cutting of my rubbish bags, my mail interfered with, the intimidation in the early mornings with a tractor and torches being shone into our bedroom - our once pretty right of way now an ugly metal passageway.  They must have been aware that the two previous owners of our property had been severely intimidated and driven away, and two other local people had been threatened, one who was a father of a senior police officer!   Their attitude and lack of concern was following the same stance as that of Mr. Bowen and Brian Canning.  There appeared to be a green light to the neighbours to do as they pleased, with zero concern for us.   Friends and family were becoming very concerned for our welfare.   How could this be happening.  

A few days later, still coming to terms with the assault upon Eddie on our property, an old blue removal lorry which I'd noticed parked amongst their many HGVs, was being worked on in their maintenance shed.  As it was perfectly normal practice for them to be working on vehicles, it didn't ring alarm bells as such, it was just business as usual.  A couple of hours later, to my utter horror, this monster of a lorry was driven down their paddock and parked alongside our cottage as close to us as they could get it.  I rang the council - the police - our solicitors.  The council said they would write to the Thomases and ask them to remove it - the police said it is was a civil matter - and our solicitors thought it was disgusting and added weight to our civil case against them.  This ugly monster of a lorry was to remain in sight of our windows - blocking light from downstairs, for seven years.

Needs no explaining

 
We were now having to sleep downstairs on some nights in order to get a decent nights sleep as the dog barking appeared to be worse than ever.   I decided to contact the council to see if anything could be done.  I was sent a log. Eventually a noise abatement notice was served and peace throughout the night was resumed.

My own letters to Carmarthen Council had now prompted a vocal response from our obnoxious neighbours.  Eddie had to leave early in the mornings, in the dark for work in Carmarthen.  As he would stop to open the newly erected gate at the top of the right of way, he would be subjected to whistling and name calling.  This was becoming a daily occurrence.   Our solicitors advised that we log all of these incidents with the police.  This daily abuse was due to making our concerns known to the council - concerns that others had made before us.  This intimidation and abuse we were now suffering, others had suffered before us, but it didn't seem to be of any concern to the council.

March 2005
 
Every day as Eddie left for work the neighbours would whistle and call out.   One particular morning, 30th. March the Thomases decided to follow Eddie to his place of work in a vehicle that they didn't normally use and one Eddie wouldn't recognise. The particular road where  Eddie's firm had their office was in an industrial area.  There were no offices nor shops only car parks and a tyre company that inhabited an office at the end of the road.  They drove alongside him whilst he parked his car. Andrew Thomas made more threats to stay out of their business - told Eddie they wanted to know where he worked - Karen Thomas took pictures of him - and then drove off across the bridge towards home.  Eddie immediately reported this to the police and an Inspector rang him back.  He said 'they have gone too far now and this will be dealt with properly'.   I was feeling very threatened by these people.  Someone had to stop this intimidation of us.  I wrote to the council advising them of how the intimidation was escalating.  I also made an appointment to meet the council's anti-social behaviour officer as this abuse was directly related to the neighbours unauthorised businesses, and what's more the council knew this was a pattern of behaviour, inflicted upon several others before us - on record. 
We've been living here for fifteen months - putting up with endless noisy interference.  Eifion Bowen and Brian Canning denying it all - having to drive through an ugly metal passageway, a huge removal lorry parked across our windows blocking light from downstairs, and now threats and intimidation, just like the two other families before us.  Surely the police will help us.

We had a visit from a Llandeilo police officer who took a statement from Eddie and said this is harassment and they would be warned under the Harassment Act.

Hopefully now the intimidation and threats would cease.  It wouldn't do anything to improve our daily quality of life in having the peace and quiet we expected when we purchased this smallholding though.  The ongoing issues with the neighbouring businesses still had to be resolved.   My problem was firmly with Carmarthen Council who for some reason were allowing this industrial business to flourish and allowing the hauliers to expand  the site by removal of the old quarry, which was against planning regulations as well.

We had taken advice and had logged ten incidents of anti-social behaviour to the local police at Llandeilo from rubbish bags being cut to shreds - our mail interfered with - torches being shone into our bedroom window from 5.30a.m. on several dark mornings - being woken by A.T. crashing his tractor scoop - our right of way altered beyond recognition - an old removal lorry parked across our windows - name calling and whistling at Eddie on his way to work - and now following him to his place of work making threats and taking his picture.

The police and my 1st. warning for harassment.............The day after the Thomases had been warned by the police two officers called on us in the evening.   I thought they had come to tell us that the intimidation was going to stop now as the Thomases had been warned. I invited them in and to my utter shock P.C. Thomas said quote "we have come to warn you in the same way as the Thomases have been warned" "you are being warned for harassment". "they have made a counterclaim".   I was stunned.  I naturally asked him "what for, what have I done".  P.C. Thomas said "you've been filming them". I asked - "filming - filming what"  P.C. Thomas said "I cannot comment"  I asked "why not"  He repeated he could not comment. I asked "have they lodged complaints"  P.C. Thomas said 'I cannot comment'. I said 'clearly you do not know what  I've been filming so I'll tell you'.  I told him that I'd filmed lorries on behalf of the council as they had asked me to gather evidence to prove that KBHS was operating from next door without planning permission. I then asked him if filming lorries was a criminal offence.  P.C. Thomas said "it is if it is harassing them". I knew that the small amount of filming I had done could not have been seen.  No-one knew I had filmed lorries except Mr. Bowen and Mr. Canning.  Certainly the neighbours wouldn't have known as it had been done discreetly and in the dark.

I made an official complaint as harassment is where a person has lodged a string of incidents with the police over a period of time.  I was advised by the police that the Thomases had not logged any incidents at all and certainly none relative to filming of lorries. It was resolved by way of local resolution.

Inspector Edwards
 
With regard to the Thomases following Eddie to his place of work, I was later informed by ( now retired )  Inspector Tom Edwards that the Thomases hadn't followed Eddie to work at all. According to Insp. Edwards the Thomases had an appointment in this very road - at 8a.m.  He couldn't say where of course. When asked why the Thomases hadn't remained for this appointment but had driven back over the bridge towards home, he said that because the gate across the entrance to the building where these people had this supposed appointment was still closed, they decided not to wait! As the one and only business in this road was a tyre company - one would presume as an Inspector, he  would have checked whether or not this was true before advising us that the Thomases were completely innocent of this incident.  We did check of course - and of course the Thomases did not have any such appointment. Inspector Edwards went on to tell Eddie they did not film him nor did they make any threats.  As Insp. Edwards was not present when this took place it was indefensible of him to attempt to reconstruct this entire incident to suit the Thomases.

As for the film footage I took for the council showing four and five HGVs going out of Blaenpant each day and coming back in the evenings - Eifion Bowen was to accuse me of 'doctoring it'.
 
I think at this point it was safe to assume the council were giving 'favour' to the owners of this haulage business in allowing them to continue operating without planning and change of use. I was being portrayed as a dishonest person who was creating false evidence against my neighbours who were doing nothing wrong. 

As for the police I was losing all faith and questioning were they another arm of the council?  What have we moved into?