A Welsh farmer has been fined and placed under a restraining order after using a front loader to move his neighbour’s truck during a long-running dispute over access to a narrow farm lane.
Cerdin Jones, 53, was filmed using a Massey Ferguson loader to lift his neighbour Anwen Hughes’s Fiat Fullback and transport it roughly 20 yards along the lane in Llanarth, Ceredigion.
The unusual incident eventually became a criminal case after the truck sustained more than £5,000 worth of damage.
Court Hears How the Truck Was Moved
Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court was shown footage of Jones using the agricultural machinery to pick up the vehicle and move it along the lane.
The video showed the loader carrying the truck while a group of sheep appeared to watch the incident.
The prosecution followed an ongoing disagreement between the neighbouring farmers concerning the use of the narrow access route serving their properties.
Hughes Owned the Lane but Jones Had a Right of Way
The court heard that Hughes owned the lane running close to the two farms.
Jones nevertheless had a right of way allowing him to use the route to reach his own farmland.
The dispute escalated after Hughes allegedly parked her truck in a position that Jones regarded as obstructing his access.
Rather than resolving the matter through conventional means, Jones used his farm machinery to physically remove the vehicle.
Truck Suffered More Than £5,000 in Damage
Hughes discovered on August 9 last year that her truck had been moved from the lane.
The Fiat Fullback was subsequently damaged to an extent that resulted in it being written off, with the court hearing that the damage was valued at more than £5,000.
Jones was prosecuted for criminal damage to property valued above £5,000.
He denied the charge and pleaded not guilty before the case went to trial.
Court Imposes Restraining Order
Jones was sentenced at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on September 10 following the trial.
In addition to the criminal penalty, magistrates imposed a restraining order preventing him from attempting to enter Hughes’s farm or accessing the section of lane where the loader incident took place.
He was also ordered to pay £650 in costs and a £150 surcharge.
Neighbour Dispute Had Lasted for Years
The court case followed what Hughes has described as a dispute lasting several years.
In a lengthy Facebook post published in January on the group “Healing from narcissistic relationships”, Hughes discussed her experience without naming Jones directly.
She said the conflict with her neighbour had continued for around six years and alleged that she had experienced intimidation and belittling behaviour during the dispute.
Hughes Describes Alleged Intimidation
In her account, Hughes alleged that her neighbour had driven close to her in a manner that made her fear for her safety.
She also claimed the ongoing conflict had affected her confidence and made her reluctant to leave her property, work her land or care for her animals.
Hughes further alleged that she had been subjected to offensive names and said the neighbour had at one point entered her home while accusing her and her family of something she said they had not done.
These claims were made in Hughes’s social media post and were not the subject of the criminal charge relating to the damaged truck.
Hughes Links Stress to the Dispute
Hughes also alleged that her pickup had previously been damaged during the dispute and said the prolonged conflict had affected her health.
She attributed symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome to the stress she said she had experienced as a result of the disagreement.
Her comments provide her account of the broader dispute between the neighbouring farmers, which extended beyond the incident that ultimately reached court.
Court Case Brings Parking Row to a Legal End
The tractor-loader incident transformed a long-running disagreement over access and parking into a criminal prosecution.
Although Jones denied causing criminal damage, the court imposed financial penalties and restrictions on his contact with Hughes and the disputed lane.
The case highlights how a disagreement over access to a shared rural route escalated into a confrontation involving heavy agricultural machinery and significant damage to a vehicle.
Jones was approached for comment regarding the dispute and the court proceedings.
