TV personalities Melissa Drabble, known as the 'Reclaim Queen', and her husband Mark have been awarded substantial damages after successfully suing their neighbor, Christopher Bramhall, for defamation. The legal action stemmed from a Facebook post made by Bramhall following a dispute at the village's Bonfire Night in November 2024.
Bramhall accused Mark Drabble of being "high on drugs" while driving and stated that police had seized a knife from him. These claims were made on a local Facebook group with 3,800 members. The Drabbles, who are both parish councillors and run a reclamation business, argued that the false accusations caused serious harm to their reputations within their small community. Melissa Drabble has appeared on BBC1's The Bidding Room, while her husband, known as 'Tin Man', has featured on the Discovery show Scrap Kings.
In a High Court writ, the Drabbles detailed the "tangible consequences" of the post, including business denigration, withdrawal of publicity, social hostility, and anxiety. In June, the High Court ruled Bramhall's post defamatory. Following this, an out-of-court settlement was reached, the terms of which remain undisclosed. A source close to the couple indicated they received a "substantial" amount.
As part of the settlement, Bramhall was compelled to issue a public apology on Facebook. He clarified that he had misinterpreted police radio communications and acknowledged that there was no official police report confirming Mark Drabble was on drugs. He also admitted he had been wrong to believe police had seized a knife from him and that he should not have expressed his views on social media regarding the local councillor and the incident.
The dispute originated from an altercation at the Dove Holes Bonfire Night. A physical fight occurred between Bramhall's brother, Nathaniel Bramhall, and Mark Drabble, concerning the placement of a funfair ride. Nathaniel Bramhall was later jailed for three years after admitting grievous bodily harm.
Christopher Bramhall's original post had stated that Mark Drabble was driving around the community center while "high on drugs" and that "a knife on his possession when the police arrived which was seized and put in an evidence bag." He also criticized the Drabbles' conduct as councillors and event organizers. The settlement concludes with both parties agreeing to make no further public statements regarding the events of November 4, 2024.