Saturday 13 August 2022 11:37 AM Millionaire jailed for refusing to tear down Britain's best man cave that ... trends now
A millionaire has been jailed after defying a court order to tear down Britain's best man cave which he illegally built his back garden.
Accountant Graham Wildin, 70, was yesterday sent to prison for six weeks for contempt of court after refusing to demolish the private leisure complex with a cinema, gym, casino, bar and bowling alley at his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire.
The eight year battle started after the Forest of Dean District Council brought a case against him over his 'man cave', which he built without planning permission in 2014.
In November 2018 the council obtained an injunction against Wildin and he was ordered to demolish it.
He was originally given until April 25 2020 to tear down the building but he defied the order and kept it up.
Accountant Graham Wildin (pictured), 70, was yesterday sent to prison for six weeks for contempt of court after refusing to demolish the private leisure complex with a cinema, gym, casino (pictured), bar and bowling alley at his home in Cinderford, Gloucestershire
Wildin was initially given until the end of April 2020 to remove the 'man cave', which includes a bowling alley (pictured)
One neighbour who lives on the road said yesterday: 'He's not very well liked. He's upset everybody on this road by flouting planning rules and then parking his collection of classic cars everywhere'
In June 2021, Wildin was found in contempt of court for non-compliance with the injunction which he appealed
In June 2021, Wildin was found in contempt of court for non-compliance with the injunction which he appealed.
The appeal was dismissed and and he was given until March 10 this year to comply with the order and avoid prison time - but it still remains standing.
After the eight year legal battle, the final deadline to pull down the man cave to avoid a jail sentence for contempt of court over ignoring the order passed without any action being taken in March.Wildin will still be required to bulldoze his man cave even after he has served his sentence.
MailOnline reported in April that relatives or neighbours would now have to give permission for the bulldozers to pass over their land to reach Wildin's mancave to forcibly take it down.
Neighbours on Meendhurst Road said in April it feels like Wildin 'doubled down' on them over their objections to his refusal to follow the rules.
A neighbour who lives on the road said at the time: 'He's not very well liked.
'He's upset everybody on this road by flouting planning rules and then parking his collection of classic cars everywhere.
'He's had a swimming pool built at the back, finished not long ago. That was ongoing for about four or five months. He gets up everybody's back, and to him it's payback time for all the people on this road.
'He's even had his gates repaired to keep everyone away from his house. There's always something going on up there, they started on the swimming pool which went in late last year.
'We don't see him very often. It's just a shame because he used to be part of the community and
