One of Britain's best known landlords with millions of pounds worth of properties has been found guilty of hitting an estate agent.
Fergus Wilson, 65 - who earlier this year allegedly suggested he was going to get rid of 200 families on benefits from his properties to replace them with east European migrants - has been ordered to pay £1,650 including £150 compensation to Daniel Wells, 31, an agent in the Folkestone office of PLS (Property Lettings and Sales).
Former school teacher and boxer Wilson, of Boughton Monchelsea near Maidstone, admitted calling Mr Wells a little shit but denied hitting him, and says the agent accidentally fell off his swivel chair.
"I didn't bundle him out of his chair at all. I went round, probably quite quickly, and he fell out of his chair. He grabbed at my arm. I didn't object because I went forward so he could grab it. I then helped him up. I've fallen out of swivel chairs in that office twice Wilson told Folkestone Magistrates Court at the end of last week.
"If I had intended doing him an injury I probably would have kicked him a few times while he was on the floor and I don't think he's suggesting I did said Wilson, who represented himself in court.
Fergus Wilson and his wife Judith are reported to have a property portfolio worth up to £200m, mostly achieved through shrewd buy-to-let investments. Some 280 of those properties were managed by PLS until late in 2012 and during 2013, when the professional relationship ended.
Mr Wilson told the court the story of the attack had been concocted as revenge for moving business from the firm.
This is not the Wilson family's first brush with the law.
In 2008 Fergus was found guilty of using a mobile phone while driving; he had pleaded not guilty, claiming he had been singing into a drinks carton. The following year, Judith had a court case thrown out after demanding £3,000 from a tenant to replace a damaged cistern lid.
Comments
These Wilsons sound like ghastly people - and I do feel very sorry for the agent concerned .
But I have to say this article bought a smile to my face - I loved the singing into a drinks carton bit - what a tosser , did he get away with it
Money Is Power And Power Corrupts
...and the reason that the Wilson's took their Ashford, Kent properties to a Folkestone agent was....none of the Ashford agents would handle their properties. Seems now the Folkestone agent sacked them too!