Landlord ‘tore up garden’ over knotweed

 The owner of a 17th-century mansion tore up his tenant’s garden after fearing it would be ruined by knotweed, a court heard.

Robert Adams, 80, took Roger Gawn, 70, to court over claims he left the garden looking “like a bombsite”.

Mr Gawn, who owns historic Melton Constable Hall, was found not guilty of causing £3,500 criminal damage.

Mr Adams complained that in the time he popped to the shops and back, his landlord had entered his “beloved” garden and caused it to “look like a bombsite”. The court heard that the widower had planted the garden with his late wife and was devastated that it had been dug up.

However, Mr Gawn told King’s Lynn magistrates’ court a potting shed was on the verge of collapse and said he had dug out surrounding trees and shrubs using a mini digger and intended to replant them.

Mr Gawn said he had also seen Japanese knotweed growing and if left untreated it would damage other plants and the shed.