Parliament's former bell-ringer to pay damages for ripping out neighbour's gate
Parliament's former bell-ringer has been ordered to pay £10,000 in damages after ripping out the gate of a retired banking boss's home.
Adrian Udal, 65, demolished the roller gate and door of Nicholas Partick-Hiley's £2 million house on Disbrowe Road in Fulham, west London, in August 2023, the day the former executive moved into the property.
Mr Udal, who served as secretary of the belfry at St Margaret's Church, a building that acts as the church for the Houses of Parliament, claimed his actions were an assertion of his rights as the owner of the passage that connects the neighbours' homes.
Mr Partick-Hiley has successfully sued for an injunction against Mr Udal, citing 'security concerns' in the street.
The judge ruled that Mr Partrick-Hiley had the right to cross the passageway and drive to get to his house, despite it being owned by Mr Udal, who has lived in his property for more than 30 years.
Mr Partick-Hiley, a former Panmure Gordon Securities executive, 64, bought the house with the intention of transforming it into a retirement home for him and his wife, Lisa.
'Maximum disruption and distress'
Mayor's and City County Court heard that Mr Udal was supposedly involved in a dispute with the previous owner of the home, which was his motive for removing the gate after he found out the property was being sold.
Mark Warwick KC, representing the Partrick-Hileys, told Judge Parfitt: 'On the day of completion, Mr Partick-Hiley arrived at the property at about 12.10.
'He was astonished to find Mr Udal and another man... in the process of destroying the door and gate. They were also disconnecting wiring that connected the property to various services.'
Mr Warwick told the court that Mr Udal's actions were intended 'to cause maximum disruption and distress'.
He added that the Partrick-Hileys had contacted Mr Udal two months before the move, explaining that they planned to install 'more functional gates', but would welcome Mr Udal's input on the new gates' style and design.
But the couple claimed their new neighbour bought his own set of metal barriers before they moved in. He installed them in Sept 2023 after ripping out the original gate.
'Unneighbourly conduct'
Aaron Walder, Mr Udal's barrister, told the court that the original gate had 'trespassed' on his property.
But Judge Nicholas Parfitt KC found that the gates Mr Udal removed were in the correct position and that the Partick-Hileys had a right 'to pass and re-pass either on foot, or with or without vehicles' down the drive and passage.
He said: 'Mr Udal's actions in respect of the roller gates and furniture was an inappropriate and wrongful act of wanton destruction… [it was] conduct which any reasonable and objective person should have realised would cause considerable upset and discomfort to the new owners.'
The judge went on to award damages for 'unjustifiable and unneighbourly and upsetting conduct, directly related to the claimants' enjoyment of their new property, which the defendant inflicted on them by choice'.
Mr Udal, is also predicted to have to pay the trial's legal costs, which are predicted to be six-figures.
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