Illegal camper spat at and pushed over a beach hut owner in violent confrontation in Bournemouth fracas
Nathan and Carolane Davies say they were left shaken and angry by the ordeal outside their prized hut at Bournemouth Beach in Dorset.
The Davies' arrived at their hut at about 3pm on July 4 to find a man's tent pitched right up against it.
They moved it about eight inches, so it wasn't touching their hut, and Mr Davies went to find a seafront ranger to report it.
He said he was about 150 yards away when he saw a man get off a bike and start pushing his 59-year-old wife to the ground.
Describing the alleged attack, 60-year-old engineer Mr Davies said: 'As I turned, I saw a man who I assume had been staying in the tent ride up on a pushbike and jump off right in front of my wife.
'All she said was "you can't have your tent there"... He spat in her face, pushed her to the ground and started shouting abuse at her. It was shocking and completely unacceptable.'
'Some nice guys came off the beach and surrounded her to stop him getting to her but he was swearing and calling her all sorts.
'He said 'that's my f**king home, I just got out of prison, where am I meant to live'. Someone who walked past said 'you're out of order mate' and he chased after him and punched and kicked him on the ground, he really beat him up.
Mrs Davies suffered a cut to her arm and banged her head in the alleged attack.
Mr Davies called the police and seven officers attended, but his wife did not want to press charges so police gave the man a dispersal order.
The couple had waited seven years before they got their beach hut in 2020. They pay BCP Council £1,600 a year in ground rent.
However, the pair say the increase in antisocial behaviour on the beach has left them feeling unsafe and they are contemplating getting rid of their hut.
Mr Davies said they had seen a rise in people camping illegally on the seafront, an act banned by a local by-law that is aimed at protecting local hotels and guest houses.
Over the heatwave weekend dozens of tents could be seen pitched on the sand by the resort's pier overnight as tourists avoid paying for hotel rooms.
There have also been complaints of youths dealing drugs behind the beach huts and using the space as a public lavatory.
Speaking of the alleged attack against his wife earlier this month, Mr Davies added: 'My wife is not a confrontational person, she didn't want to press charges, she just wanted him gone.
'The police gave him a dispersal order, but it's only for 24 hours so he could be back there now. Do we just go down there with trepidation of what could happen?
'My wife is very upset by the situation, she wouldn't go down there on her own now.
'There are signs saying no camping, but they mean nothing because the council does nothing to enforce them. They put the onus on beach hut owners to get into confrontations with homeless people, which isn't right.
'I pointed out to police that there was another tent next to another hut and asked if they were going to do anything about that one and they said they can't because they haven't broken the law yet.
'So you have got to be assaulted before they will move someone on, it's absolutely despicable.
'We have been sitting there having a meal and seen people come off the beach and go behind the huts to wee. The whole place stinks of urine. I don't know why they can't put a fence behind the huts or something.
'The council just aren't doing their job. They removed the hut next to us years ago, which is why there is a gap. If they replaced it and got a new owner in then there wouldn't be a space for tents to camp.
'It makes me very bitter about how much I pay in ground rent when the council are so inept.
'I've asked before about moving but they said I would have to go back to the bottom of the waiting list, yet they have empty spots that aren't being filled.'
Dorset Police received a report at 3.09pm on July 4 of a man acting aggressively on Bournemouth beach.
A police spokesman said: 'The man was issued with a section 35 dispersal notice and he subsequently left the area. There were no further complaints made by other members of the public.
'Officers are continuing to carry out increased patrols in the area of Bournemouth beach and the pier.'
Councillor Kieron Wilson, BCP Council's housing boss, said: 'We are aware of a small number of tents on the beach and are working closely with members of our homelessness partnership, community safety officers, and the council's housing and communities' teams to provide support where necessary to these people.
'Separate to this, the council will address any negative behaviours, working closely with our partners to keep our seafront a safe, welcoming and clean place to visit.'
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