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Rooftop protester cleared by jury Roof demo verdict 'beyond belief'
(about 3 hours later)
A jury has cleared a 74-year-old man of causing £30,000 worth of damage to council offices in a rooftop protest. A council has said it is "astonished" a pensioner was cleared by a jury of causing £30,000 worth of damage at its offices in a rooftop protest.
Iorwerth Jones, of Llandovery, was acquitted of causing criminal damage to the council building in Llandeilo. Iorwerth Jones, 74, of Llandovery, did not deny breaking tiles with a hammer but was found not guilty at Swansea Crown Court of criminal damage.
Representing himself at Swansea Crown Court, he argued he had been driven to extreme action by a 26-year dispute over a lorry park near his bungalow. He argued he had been driven to extreme action by a 26-year planning dispute.
Carmarthenshire Council said the verdict was "beyond belief" and "not a good day for the justice system."
The judge said he hoped Carmarthenshire Council would "grasp the nettle" and come to an agreement with Mr Jones.The judge said he hoped Carmarthenshire Council would "grasp the nettle" and come to an agreement with Mr Jones.
By his own admission his long-running campaign for a public inquiry had caused more than £1m worth of damage but he vowed after the verdict to continue his fight. By his own admission, Mr Jones' long-running campaign for a public inquiry had caused more than £1m worth of damage but he vowed after the verdict to continue his fight.
Mr Jones had told the jury it started when an industrial park sprang up around the bungalow he was building by hand in the countryside outside Llandovery. It started when an industrial park sprang up around the bungalow he was building by hand just outside Llandovery.
Since then he has been convicted of attacking council buildings 13 times, usually by climbing onto the roof and smashing tiles.Since then he has been convicted of attacking council buildings 13 times, usually by climbing onto the roof and smashing tiles.
He had been given prison sentences totalling 57 months.He had been given prison sentences totalling 57 months.
My life has been made a misery and it all goes back to an illegal decision to allow that lorry park next to my home Iorwerth JonesMy life has been made a misery and it all goes back to an illegal decision to allow that lorry park next to my home Iorwerth Jones
But the jury found him not guilty of causing criminal damage, and also cleared him of threatening to carry out a further attack, after hearing him argue that he was justified in protecting his home. But the jury found him not guilty of causing criminal damage, and also cleared him of threatening to carry out a further attack.
They had heard him represent himself at the trial and argue that he was justified in protecting his home.
He did not deny that early on 17 April last year he climbed onto the roof of the former headquarters of Dynefor Borough Council in Llandeilo and that he hacked away at tiles with a hammer.He did not deny that early on 17 April last year he climbed onto the roof of the former headquarters of Dynefor Borough Council in Llandeilo and that he hacked away at tiles with a hammer.
Most of the attack was filmed by police officers.Most of the attack was filmed by police officers.
But, he told the jury, he felt he had no option but to take extreme action after being denied a public inquiry.But, he told the jury, he felt he had no option but to take extreme action after being denied a public inquiry.
He admitted he had pleaded not guilty only because that would cause a trial before a jury that would allow him to air his grievances.He admitted he had pleaded not guilty only because that would cause a trial before a jury that would allow him to air his grievances.
He claimed the trouble began when the former Llandovery Borough Council allowed a lorry park to be estalished into the centre of the town in 1982. He claimed the trouble began when the former Llandovery Borough Council allowed a lorry park to be established into the centre of the town in 1982.
Nearby residents protested and the council suddenly moved the lorry park near the home he was building.Nearby residents protested and the council suddenly moved the lorry park near the home he was building.
Police and a fire crews cordoned off the scene last AprilPolice and a fire crews cordoned off the scene last April
Bill Perry, a former mayor of Llandovery, told the jury Mr Jones was correct when he protested that the council had not followed proper planning procedures. Mr Jones played his own video of lorries arriving and departing at all hours of the day and night.
Mr Jones said the situation had worsened since.
The lorry park was now occupied by a firm making pet foods and the council had also established a road maintenance depot next door.
After the prosecution had shown the jury a police video of Mr Jones damaging the roof of the council building, Mr Jones played his own video of lorries arriving and departing at all hours of the day and night.
"My life has been made a misery and it all goes back to an illegal decision to allow that lorry park next to my home," he said."My life has been made a misery and it all goes back to an illegal decision to allow that lorry park next to my home," he said.
After the verdicts, Judge Michael Burr said the sight of a 74-year-old man skipping along the roof of the building made him fear that there would be a tragedy one day.After the verdicts, Judge Michael Burr said the sight of a 74-year-old man skipping along the roof of the building made him fear that there would be a tragedy one day.
He said he hoped the local authority - now Carmarthenshire Council - would "grasp the nettle" and come to an agreement with Mr Jones. He said one way out might be for Mr Jones to take up an offer of talks about selling his bungalow to the council.
The judge said one way out might be for Mr Jones to take up an offer of talks about selling his bungalow to the council. But Mr Jones said he was only interested in having a public inquiry and gaining compensation.
But Mr Jones said he was not interested in selling up. After the case, the council said in a statement: "The message from the jury seems to be that it is OK to cause damage to public property costing taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds - they are basically condoning his actions."
He said he was only interested in having a public inquiry and gaining compensation for the "ordeal" he had been put through. The councl said numerous witnesses testified that Mr Jones caused the damage and video evidence was also shown.
"And having heard him admit that he caused the damage, this outcome is beyond belief. "He also openly stated in court that he may well do it again - which would be no surprise as he has done exactly the same thing several times previously."