Ex-glamour model Jodie Marsh can keep lemurs, judge rules
The 46-year-old applied for a wild animal licence to keep eight ring-tailed lemurs at her Fripps Farm sanctuary in Lindsell, but it was refused by the council over noise complaints.
District Judge Christopher Williams said he was persuaded 'the noise made by the lemurs is not a nuisance' in a ruling on Tuesday.
He added: 'I am satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the decision by Uttlesford district council was wrong and continues to be wrong. I allow the appeal.'
Ms Marsh, who wore a black blazer, black top and leggings, sat behind her lawyer at Chelmsford magistrates' court and cried during the ruling before thanking her lawyer and the judge.
Uttlesford district council rejected Ms Marsh's application last year, but she told an earlier hearing that online trolls were behind much of the criticism of her animal sanctuary.
At a previous hearing, video clips of screeching lemurs at a zoo were played to the court.
The district council said Ms Marsh had been unable to provide a noise nuisance survey, but Paul Oakley, for Ms Marsh, said the council's 'conclusion lemurs were likely to contribute to the [noise)] impact' was 'speculation'.
The court previously heard Ms Marsh had hand-reared a meerkat called Mabel and joked about 'taking her to the pub four times a week' on GB News.
Uttlesford district council received 19 statements from locals opposing the licence, but the judge ruled that Ms Marsh 'genuinely cares for the animals' at her sanctuary.
Summing up his findings, he said: 'Ms Marsh may not be popular in the surrounding area, but based on the evidence given to this court I conclude that she is a person who genuinely cares for the animals.
'Ms Marsh is not and has not been responsible for any harm or ill-treatment [of the animals in her care].'
The court heard Essex Police, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and the RSPCA had not raised any concerns over Ms Marsh's application for a licence to keep the lemurs.
The judge ruled that Ms Marsh's licence application should be granted, with conditions. He approved an application for costs of £19,641 to be paid to Ms Marsh by Uttlesford district council.
Speaking outside court, Ms Marsh said: 'I'm just really sad that it has had to come to this. You know, it's a complete waste of time and effort and everything else. As the judge said, the decision was wrong in the first place.
'I am just over the moon. He categorically proved in there that I am a suitable person to rescue animals and that all I care about is the safety and health and wellbeing of the animals. And I hope that shuts my trolls up once and for all.'
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