Latest news with #Lindsell
The Sun
7 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Jodie Marsh weeps in court after being told she can keep lemurs at her animal sanctuary
TV personality Jodie Marsh wept in court yesterday after she was told she can keep lemurs at her animal sanctuary. She had appealed against a council's decision to refuse her application for a wild animal licence. 2 Concerns had been raised about her taking a meerkat to the pub. Former glamour model Marsh, 46, said trolls were behind much of the criticism of her sanctuary in Lindsell, Essex. At a previous hearing, clips of screeching zoo lemurs were played to Chelmsford magistrates' court. But Judge Christopher Williams dismissed the council's argument about the animals' noise. He said Marsh was passionate about the care and treatment of the animals under her supervision. The judge added: 'The decision by Uttlesford District Council was wrong and continues to be wrong. I allow the appeal.' The former Page 3 girl has traded her hard-partying lifestyle for hands-on work at her own animal sanctuary in Essex. In a recent interview with The Sun, Jodie referred to herself as a farm girl and a "mess". In a further self-deprecating comment, she added that she was "fat but happier than ever". Despite her contentment, she lives with "anxiety/depression, aches and pains" and is using CBD oil to improve her daily wellbeing. Jodie Marsh gives health update after saying she's 'fat but happier than ever' now she's quit glamour modelling The model-turned-bodybuilder- who put her huge country pile on the market last year - said: "You might recognise me as someone that used to be glamorous, sexy, a bodybuilder and everything else, but now I'm just a farm girl and I look a mess." 2
Telegraph
03-06-2025
- General
- Telegraph
Ex-glamour model Jodie Marsh can keep lemurs, judge rules
Jodie Marsh, the former glamour model, can keep lemurs at her Essex animal sanctuary, a judge has ruled. 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.'
Daily Mail
03-06-2025
- General
- Daily Mail
Jodie Marsh breaks down in tears as she WINS battle to keep lemurs at her OnlyFans-funded animal sanctuary
Former glamour model Jodie Marsh wept tears of joy today as she won a bitter legal battle to keep eight lemurs at her animal sanctuary. The ex-lads' mags favourite, who went on to become a media personality, had appealed against a council's refusal to grant her a wild animal licence for Fripps Farm in Lindsell, Essex. Uttlesford District Council blocked the application last year after members claimed she treated the animals there as 'pets' after hearing she had taken a baby meerkat and an owl to a pub. There were also concerns about noise. But Marsh – who uses funds from OnlyFans to pay for the upkeep of more than 400 animals at the sanctuary including emus and reptiles – claimed she was the victim of criticism from online trolls. She also said the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs had no concerns about animals in her care following inspections. The 46-year-old, who trained as a bodybuilder and has appeared on Essex Wives and Celebrity Big Brother, broke down in tears as District Judge Christopher Williams ruled in her favour today at Chelmsford Magistrates Court. He said: 'On the basis of the evidence available I am persuaded that the noise made by the lemurs is not a nuisance. '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.' Marsh, who wore a black blazer, black top and leggings, thanked her lawyer and the judge. In July last year, councillors said she was 'not suitable' to look after animals after hearing how she had taken the meerkat and owl to a local pub. UDC councillor Richard Freeman told a meeting of its licensing and environmental health committee: 'The panel is concerned that Jodie Marsh has a perception that the animals in her care are personal pets.' Video clips of screeching lemurs at a zoo were also played at a previous court hearing and the district council said Marsh had failed to provide a noise nuisance survey. Ring-tailed lemurs live on 'troops' of up to 30 and are known as one of the most vocal primates. But Paul Oakley, for Marsh, said the council's 'conclusion lemurs were likely to contribute to the (noise) impact' at the five-acre site was 'speculation'. Marsh also dismissed concerns about her treatment of animals, explaining she had been 'hand-rearing' the meerkat when she took it to a friend's pub 'on a few occasions'. Describing the sanctuary as a 'dream' she'd had since she was five years old, she rounded on the trolls, saying: 'They lash out, they pick on you, as in my case. 'When I was bodybuilding they trolled me for that, when I was modelling they trolled me for that, now it's the animals.' The council received 19 objections from local residents about the licence application. But the court heard Essex Police, Essex Fire and Rescue Service and the RSPCA had not raised any concerns over the application for the lemurs, an endangered species from Madagascar. Summing up his findings, Judge Williams said there was 'considerable animosity between Ms Marsh and the members of the local community'. But he added: '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 her animals. 'Ms Marsh is not, and has not been, responsible for any harm or ill-treatment [of the animals in her care].' Granting the licence, he also approved an application for costs of £19,641 to be paid to Marsh by Uttlesford District Council. The council said in a statement after today's judgement: 'The decision by councillors to not grant the Dangerous Wild Animals licence was made following careful consideration of both the supporting and opposing evidence in a public process. 'Whilst we are disappointed with the ruling today, the court has taken a fresh look at it and reached a different conclusion, which we fully accept.' In 2023, Marsh told BBC Essex that OnlyFans was 'amazing' and 'paid my staff wages for the first year'. She added: 'They all joke and say 'Your boobs paid our wages'.'
