A bitter eight-year boundary dispute between neighbors in Nazeing, Essex, culminated in one family using chainsaws to cut down 33-foot Leylandii trees and a wooden fence that encroached on their property. The incident occurred after the family, identified as Robert and Amanda McCarthy, ultimately won a High Court case against their neighbors, Foulla Bowler and her siblings John Barberis and Mary Englishby.
The legal battle began approximately 17 years after the McCarthys moved into their home in 2001. The dispute escalated when the Bowler family claimed ownership of a significant portion of the McCarthys' land, including part of their patio, fence panels, nearly 30 Leylandii trees, and a strip of garden. A judge later ruled that the neighboring family repeatedly trespassed on the McCarthys' land by destroying fences, chopping down trees, and spraying weedkiller.
Attempts at mediation failed when the Bowler siblings demanded £50,000. The McCarthys then pursued legal action, securing a victory where the judge dismissed the siblings' claim and ordered them to pay £209,000 in legal costs. The judge described the siblings' actions as 'high-handed' and 'bullying.'
Video footage submitted as evidence in court showed relatives and contractors using a chainsaw to dismantle the fence between the two properties and a handsaw to cut down the posts. The destruction of the Leylandii trees occurred on March 3, 2020, and again on January 6, 2022. Amanda McCarthy reported arriving home to find contractors felling her trees, and an attempt to stop them was met with accusations of 'stalking.' Despite contacting the police, no action was taken, with authorities deeming it a civil matter.
According to the McCarthys, the felled trees were used by their neighbors to heat their home. The destruction of the boundary left the McCarthys' garden exposed, with their neighbors able to see into their kitchen. The McCarthys also stated that their neighbors deliberately sprayed weedkiller weekly, killing their garden plants, and frequently filmed interactions. Their children were reportedly subjected to verbal abuse.
The McCarthys claim that after an agreement was reached for a new boundary, the neighbors reneged and demanded £55,000, prompting the McCarthys to take the case to court. Judge Alan Saggerson ruled that the claimants had trespassed and taken 'unilateral action to re-order the disputed boundary,' characterizing their behavior as 'systematic destruction' and an 'invasion.' The ordeal significantly impacted Amanda McCarthy's mental health, leading her to consider moving and expressing dislike for her home due to the lingering effects of the dispute.