Return of neighbour from hell
He was branded ‘worse than a pig’ and deported from New Zealand for his vile behaviour. Now infamous traveller is back – and is ‘threatening’ the locals
A NOTORIOUS traveller whose unruly family were deported from a foreign holiday and who allegedly terrorised neighbours in the UK has now been accused of intimidating locals in another part of the country.
Patrick Doran and his clan were dubbed the ‘holidaymakers from hell’ after they were kicked out of New Zealand for threatening people, stealing from a service station and refusing to pay for food.
As previously revealed by the Mail, residents in rural Worcestershire later claimed he had demanded a six-figure sum to leave the area or force residents to face years of anti- social behaviour and collapsing house prices.
Mr Doran, who describes himself as an Irish traveller in his early 30s, is now engulfed in claims of menacing behaviour towards residents in his current haunt of Lincolnshire. He strenuously denies the allegations.
He is using the name Alan Gray, which also appears on a planning application submitted to the local council requesting a change of use to grazing land he bought in Stickney to a ‘gipsy/traveller site’ with nearly 30 stands for static homes and touring caravans.
The three-acre site is already being developed without permission, with several static caravans, part- completed buildings, heavy machinery and vehicles.
Locals in the village – none of whom wanted to be identified for fear of reprisals – confirmed a photograph of Mr Doran taken by the Mail four years ago in Worcestershire showed the man now was living under a different name in the area.
Neighbours of Mr Doran declined to speak to the Mail.
Other villagers accused him of a catalogue of threatening and antisocial behaviour. Several powerful Belgian malinois dogs on Mr Doran’s land have been allowed to roam wild, they said. There are also reports of loud barbecues with large bonfires that produce thick, acrid smoke.
Several people reported threats to a lollipop lady who took a photo of his car when he parked on double yellow lines near a crossing.
‘Alan Gray put his fingers to the side of his head, mimicking a gun,’ one said. A source familiar with the case in Stickney said: ‘When he bought the land he’s on at the moment, everyone assumed it would continue to be used for storage and grazing. Instead he’s started building on it illegally.
‘He’s also been threatening people in the area.’ Lincolnshire Police confirmed complaints had been received and it was investigating them. A council source said: ‘All the hardstanding he’s put down means water runs off his land and causes flooding. There is also a septic tank which leaks into a ditch outside.’
The planning application submitted by ‘Alan Gray’ to East Lindsey District Council on July 11 outlines plans for hardstanding for seven static caravans and up to 20 touring caravans, plus a wash block and day room.
Another local said: ‘At the moment there’s a chalet he lives in with his wife and his four boys, who are all under 12. There were three other statics for foreign workers but these were moved after the planning application went in. There are also two brick and breeze block buildings – one like a small bungalow and the other an unfinished toilet block.
‘If he gets the planning permission he wants, there could be dozens of people living there.’
Vehicles have been spotted at the site including a van with the livery for East Lindsey Paving, a company Mr Doran runs, as well as tipper trucks and diggers.
Locals have seen him driving in various expensive cars including a black BMW X5 and a Mitsubishi L200. The Dorans were branded ‘trash’ and ‘worse than pigs’ by the mayor of Auckland when they were ejected from New Zealand in January 2019. Inquiries by the Mail later that year found that land outside the Worcestershire village of Ombersley on the market for £60,000 had been bought by Mr Doran.
He ignored a ruling by Wychavon District Council that he could not build on the land, instead erecting a bungalow and then submitting a retrospective application.
A legal battle ended with the Planning Inspectorate backing him, although limiting the site to two caravans.
Five caravans appeared, however, along with human waste on nearby paths and a precarious 10ft wall. The local pub banned female members from marching into their toilet in dressing gowns to wash.
residents said they were informed by Mr Doran that if all 20 of them clubbed together and paid £30,000 each – a total of £600,000 – he would move elsewhere. Two years ago, a caravan on the plot was torched.
The site is now unoccupied and up for sale for an undisclosed sum on a website used by gypsies and travellers. Christopher Day, the Wychavon district councillor who represents the ward, said: ‘Along with all the residents, I am looking forward to a continued peaceful occupation of a beautiful part of Worcestershire.’
When contacted by the Mail, Mr Doran claimed East Lindsey District Council in Lincolnshire had ‘offered a transit site [a plot for travellers’ use]’ for him and his family to ‘live there in peace’ – a claim flatly rejected by the council. Informed of the claims against him, he denied them and complained: ‘You’re destroying my business. You’re destroying my life.’
An East Lindsey District Council spokesman said: ‘The council has not told Mr Gray that he can be offered the land for use as a transit site, nor given any permissions for work that has taken place there.
‘An application for the site has been submitted on July 11. However, it is currently invalid and further information is required before it can start to be determined.
‘ The Planning Enforcement team also have an ongoing enforcement case for the site.’ Lincolnshire Police confirmed complaints had been made against Mr Doran, saying: ‘We are aware of this and investigations are ongoing.’
‘Mimicked a gun to a lollipop lady’