A Hertfordshire couple who lost a six-year legal battle over a public bridleway crossing their £1.2 million home are accused of re-blocking the path after council workers removed barriers, risking legal action.
A couple in Little Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire , face potential legal repercussions after reportedly re-blocking a public bridleway that council workers had just reopened following a six-year legal dispute.
The conflict centers on the Moores, David and Dawn, who own the historic Breach House. After losing a High Court case that confirmed a public right of way crosses their 1.75-acre property, council crews arrived on Monday to remove three gates and overgrown brambles that had obstructed the ancient route.
The action was met with cheers from villagers who have used the path for over a century, though the day's events were temporarily halted twice when Mrs. Moore, a cancer specialist, was taken ill. Tensions flared as Mr. Moore confronted onlookers, questioning their jubilation at the expense of his wife's health. Despite the official clearance, the situation has quickly deteriorated.
Villagers report that at least one gate has been re-hung by the Moores and that the couple have been warning path users they are trespassing. There are also allegations that the Moores prevented council workers from installing a new direction sign on public land across the road the following day. These actions suggest a clear defiance of the court order and council enforcement, potentially breaching a criminal offence.
The Moores had previously spent an estimated £400,000 on their failed legal challenge, which argued the bridleway should divert between two nearby cottages instead of cutting through their grounds. The council now has several options, including prosecution in magistrates court with unlimited fines, recovering costs for removal work, or seeking an injunction. The long-running saga began when the path was mysteriously closed off with locked gates and signs in 2019, contradicting historical records.
A 1956 council investigation had already determined the correct route through the property, but an error on the original definitive map created the confusion that sparked this expensive and acrimonious dispute
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