Car-flip farmer cleared of dangerous driving and criminal damage

A farmer who used a telehandler to pick up a car and dump it in a road to defend his property has been cleared of dangerous driving and criminal damage.

Robert Hooper, 57, had told Durham Crown Court he felt "frightened and threatened" when he took the action.

He had argued an "Englishman's home is his castle", and he had been assaulted before he used his vehicle to remove the Corsa in County Durham last June.

His partner Kate Henderson said he had been through "eight months of hell".

Supporters cheered the couple outside the court after the jury cleared Mr Hooper following a four-day trial.

Ms Henderson said: "The overwhelming support of the local community and people from afar have kept him going during these last eight months of hell.

"We welcome the jury's verdict and are thankful for it."

Mobile phone footage shown to jurors also showed the lifting rails of Mr Hooper's farm vehicle striking shirtless Charlie Burns.

The 21-year-old, who had been visiting Low Force waterfall with friends and had drunk up to seven bottles of lager, was knocked to the floor by the rails.

The car had been parked by Mr Burns' friend, Elliott Johnson, at Mr Hooper's property in Newbiggin-in-Teesdale after suffering a double puncture.

The hill farmer had told the court he was punched by Mr Burns when he first politely asked the men to leave as they were blocking access to his property.

He was aware of an "influx" of youths visiting the area that summer, causing anti-social behaviour, littering and damaging walls, the jury heard.

Mr Hooper claimed Mr Burns had punched him twice through the window of the farm vehicle he was driving, bursting his lip.

"I thought it is time to get out of there, and I said, 'If you don't move it, I will'," he told the court.

"My mind was racing."

Mr Hooper said he was concerned at what the two young men might do and "what they had in terms of weapons".

"I thought if the car was off the property, that would be them off the property, out of the way," he added.

The court heard that the farmer felt he was defending his property and himself.

"I felt threatened and an Englishman's home is his castle, and my castle starts at that front gate," he said.

Michael Rawlinson, defending, gave the origin of the saying in his closing speech to the jury, referring back to the judge Sir Edward Coke's comments which set legal precedents in 1604.

When it was argued by the prosecution that Mr Hooper had acted "utterly irrationally", Mr Rawlinson also quoted the boxer Mike Tyson, saying: "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth."

Mr Hooper, who has no previous convictions, had a busy day baling silage and returned to the farm for his tea, intending to continue working afterwards.

Mr Burns, who had been drinking with friends, said he was intending to walk 52 miles back to South Tyneside.

Judge Ray Singh had outlined routes to verdict for the jury, explaining the law surrounding self-defence and a defendant protecting himself and his property.

Fellow farmers who were there to support Mr Hooper welcomed the verdicts outside the court.

William Wearmouth said Mr Hooper was "absolutely first-class" and a "hard-working man" who "will help anyone with anything".

Another farmer, John Dickinson, said it was a "really good result for the local area".

"Robert is a very decent, upstanding man who shouldn't have to have gone through all this," he added.