Woman torched 'badger man's' Land Rover in weird revenge attack
A woman who set her neighbour's Land Rover ablaze in a peculiar attempt to exterminate badgers has avoided jail, despite causing nearly £20,000 worth of damage.
Susan Lupton, 63, was under the impression that the creatures had killed a local cat and intentionally ignited Graham Lee's vehicle, labelling him an "evil badger man."
However, it emerged in court that the cat in question had actually passed away due to old age.
Lupton, a writer, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson at Isle of Wight Crown Court but escaped a prison sentence and was prohibited from entering the Freshwater area.
She has since moved to Newport.
The fire completely destroyed the 4x4 and spread to a neighbouring property, obliterating everything from a cooker extractor fan to a Japanese maple tree. The total damage was estimated at £18,500, reports the Express.
Houses in the area average around £400,000 - almost double the national average.
Mr Lee, who tried to extinguish the flames with a hose before the arrival of the fire brigade, stated:
"The badgers have not come back to my property since the incident a year ago."
She also alleged that a firefighter friend advised her on how to start the fire. The court heard that she suffers from bipolar disorder and relocated to the UK from South Africa in 1980.
In a powerful victim impact statement, Mr Lee labelled Lupton as a "sick, twisted and manipulative individual" and expressed his fear that she might return with "some matches."
He described the loss of his beloved Land Rover as "beyond words", adding that the incident had a devastating impact on his life, saying: "Her actions ruined my life."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
an hour ago
- The Independent
Man in bear costume chased in Japanese police attack drill
A man in a bear costume chased residents in Japan during a safety drill conducted following a spate of attacks and sightings. Demonstrations on how to scare off the animals were held in Tochigi Prefecture, approximately 100 km north of Tokyo. It came after a 52-year-old newspaper delivery man was mauled to death by a bear in Fukushima, southern Hokkaido, earlier this month. There have been three sightings of wild bears reported this year in Tochigi Prefecture, according to local police. Japanese public broadcaster NHK says more than 650 bear sightings have been reported in Akita since the start of July.
Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Daily Mirror
ITV thriller won't return as second series 'isn't possible' despite rave reviews
A popular ITV crime drama won't be back with a second series, despite TV fans showering the series with praise Despite the first series receiving high praise from telly enthusiasts, ITV 's popular crime drama Joan won't be returning for a second series. The six-part series, which premiered on ITV in September 2024, featured Game of Thrones star Sophie Turner in the lead role as Joan Hannington. The programme recounted the true tale of jewel thief Joan, who nicked over £3 million worth of jewels in London during the 1980s and earned herself the moniker The Godmother in the capital's underworld. The plot summary reads: "Joan Hannington, a fiery and uncompromising woman in her 20s, is a devoted mother to her 6-year-old daughter, Kelly, but is trapped in a disastrous marriage with a violent criminal named Gary. When Gary goes on the run, Joan seizes the opportunity to create a new life for herself and her daughter. "Adopting new identities and making new acquaintances along the way, Joan becomes a masterful jewel thief. She embarks on a thrilling, high-stakes journey that challenges her every limit, driven by her desire to create a secure home." Upon its release last year, Joan proved to be a massive hit with TV fans, with many leaving glowing reviews and lauding Sophie's performance, reports the Express. "I hope this production and all the actors and actresses inside, win some awards, they did such a good job. Even more impressive and touching when you remember that everything you're seeing really happened. It's very gripping," one person penned online. One viewer chimed in, stating: "The best programme I have seen in ages and the music was amazing and took me back to my early life which I loved. The actors especially Sophie were amazing and should all get awards for this." Despite the rave reviews, ITV has confirmed there won't be a second series of Joan due to the cast's hectic schedules. A spokesperson revealed to The Sun: "ITV and Snowed-In Productions would love to produce another series of Joan. However, as a consequence of cast availability, and following co-production discussions, a second series isn't possible." Sophie, who is a mum to two daughters with her former spouse Joe Jonas, is juggling numerous projects, making it understandable that she's finding it hard to squeeze in time to film a follow-up series of Joan. The starlet is lined up to play Lara Croft in a Tomb Raider TV series and she's also set to appear in sci-fi flick Cloud One and horror movie The Dreadful.
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Under the Bridge plot, full cast and release date as new crime series lands on ITV
Under the Bridge is a new true crime drama series landing on ITV telling the harrowing story of Reena Virk= A brand new telly series is set to hit ITV and it's a must-see for all crime drama enthusiasts. Under the Bridge, an eight-part drama, recounts the chilling true story of Reena Virk. The show initially premiered on Hulu in April, but is now set to arrive on ITV for UK viewers. The crime series was crafted by Quinn Shephard, famed for directing the film Blame and starring in titles such as Midnight Sun, The Miseducation of Cameron Post and Sweet, Sweet Lonely Girl. As Under the Bridge gears up to debut on ITV, we've compiled everything you need to know about the series, from the cast to the plot.... What is Under the Bridge about? Under the Bridge is adapted from the book of the same name, penned by journalist Rebecca Godfrey, which narrates the true story of 14 year old Reena Virk. The TV series is the brainchild of Quinn Shephard, reports the Express. In 1997, Reena went to join her mates at a party on an island in British Columbia, Canada, but tragically never made it back home. Seven teenage girls and a lad were accused of Reena's murder. In the series, the tale is told through the eyes of Rebecca and local police officer Cam Bentland (Lily Gladstone). Viewers are given a glimpse into the lives of the teenagers accused of murder, revealing some shocking truths along the way. The official synopsis for Under the Bridge reads: "Under the Bridge is based on acclaimed author Rebecca Godfrey's book about the 1997 true story of fourteen-year-old Reena Virk (Vritika Gupta) who went to join friends at a party and never returned home. "Through the eyes of Godfrey (Riley Keough) and a local police officer (Lily Gladstone), the series takes us into the hidden world of the young girls accused of the murder - revealing startling truths about the unlikely killer." Is Under the Bridge based on a true story? Under the Bridge draws from the real-life case of Reena Virk, though certain elements in the programme are fictionalised, with particular names and chronology being modified. Reena was brutally attacked and murdered on 14 November 1997 by a gang of teenagers in Saanich, with her body discovered eight days afterwards in a local waterway. Eight adolescents faced trial and were found guilty in connection with Reena's horrific death, with six teens - known as the Shoreline Six - convicted of assault, whilst two others were found guilty of murder. Who is in the cast of Under the Bridge? Under the Bridge features an impressive ensemble cast, headlined by Riley Keough, who takes on the role of Rebecca Godfrey in the production. The cast includes Archie Panjabi as Suman Virk, Lily Gladstone portraying Cam Bentland, Vritika Gupta as Reena Virk, Chloe Guidry playing Josephine Bell and Javon Walton in the role of Warren Glowatski. Izzy G stars as Kelly Ellard, whilst Aiyana Goodfellow takes on Dusty Pace, Ezra Faroque Khan plays Manjit Virk, Anoop Desai appears as Raj Masihajjar and Matt Craven features as Roy Bentland. Additional cast members include Daniel Diemer, Jared Ager-Foster, Maya Da Costa, Arta Negahban and Isabella Leon. How to watch Under the Bridge Under the Bridge debuted on Hulu on 17 April, and is now set to arrive on British television screens. The series comprises eight episodes, with the first one airing on ITV1 on 25 July at 9pm. The series will also be available on ITVX, providing telly enthusiasts an easy way to stream the episodes.
