90 year old grandad reported to police after clearing land behind his home
A 90-year-old grandfather says he was reported to the police by his local council after clearing overgrown land behind his home.
Keith Ramsell paid gardeners £1,300 to clear the area next to his home in Bushey, Hertfordshire, after falling and injuring his arm due to the overgrown vegetation. The pensioner claims he had already been asking the council to maintain the area for more than a year.
But when he informed them that he had instead taken matters into his own hands, Keith was accused of committing criminal damage with the council even going so far as informing the police. In an email from the council, they said: "For absolute clarity you must not carry out any such actions again."
Feeling frustrated, Keith, a retired university professor, responded a week later stating that he had approached a passing police officer to turn himself in, joking to the council that the officer "absolutely declined to Taser me, or even put me in handcuffs". The widowed grandfather-of-four said he was "half outraged and half amused" by the whole ordeal.
Keith Ramsell outside his home amongst the cleared scrubland in Bushey (James Linsell-Clark / SWNS)Both the council and the police have confirmed that a report of criminal damage has been made and an investigation is under way. Keith added: "I wrote to the council to tell them what I'd done - and they said I'd caused criminal damage. So I contacted the police and told them life on the run didn't suit me. I'd rather hand myself in."
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Keith, a retiree who purchased his property in March 2021, claims that the overgrown patch, which used to offer views of a nearby park and old moat, had become obscured by long grass and "saplings". Its unkempt state, Keith said, was encouraging anti-social behaviour as well as posing a fire risk - with two fires breaking out last autumn and this spring.
In June 2022, Keith contacted the council about the issue, describing it as a "matter of great concern". Despite several exchanges, the council stated in an email dated April 2023 that no further work was planned for the area.
Frustrated and concerned, Keith took matters into his own hands and began clearing the area himself. However, during this process, he fell and bruised his arm, causing him to worry about his ability to fulfil his final engagement as an international concert violinist recording a Bach concerto for two violins. Fortunately, he was still able to complete the recording.
Keith then hired contractors to clear the area on August 26. But when he informed the council of his actions days later, he received an email informing him that he had been reported to the police for criminal damage. Despite trying to "hand himself in", Keith responded to the council - requesting the police "kindly get on with it".
He explained: "Once a week I go around and pick up empty bottles and cans and things, and in the long grass I tripped over a stump and hurt my arm very badly. I lost my temper and got contractors to only clear the dead stuff, nothing green - they did a great job, they took it all away and charged me £1,300. It's quite a lot of money but they did a good job and it's safe. It won't burn anymore."
The scrubland was finally cleared by Keith who paid £1,300 for the area to be tidied (James Linsell-Clark / SWNS)Jennifer Gee, a 73-year-old retired hairdresser who lives in the same block as Keith, described the shrubland area as "triffid" - a fictional plant described as large, invasive and menacing-looking. She said: "[The council] think old people won't fight back - but they're wrong. It's been a hazard and it's a claustrophobic, triffid experience living here.
"I've lived here for 11 or 12 years. They used to come every other year to cut it down. Then it went to every three years, and now they're saying they're not coming back and won't do it anymore. It's a small corner of the park so to them it's not a nuisance - but to us it's just awful."
Keith's carer Dorota, 45, had previously helped contact the council to ask for help. She said: "We haven't heard anything from police regarding the criminal damage as of yet. We've tried to contact the police and ask them."
A spokesperson for Hertsmere Borough Council confirmed: "We can confirm that we've reported an incident of criminal damage (the removal of 30 mature trees and other shrubbery) at Moatfield Recreation Ground in Bushey to Hertfordshire Constabulary. As there is an on-going police investigation, it wouldn't be appropriate for us to comment further at this stage."
A spokesperson for Hertfordshire Police said: "Police in Hertsmere are currently investigating a report of criminal damage after 30 trees were allegedly cut down in Moatfield Road, Bushey, on Saturday 26 August."
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