Latest news with #WilliamGlynCross
Telegraph
08-05-2025
- Telegraph
‘Eccentric' hoarder threatened with jail for not clearing jungle-like garden
A 'very eccentric' hoarder has been threatened with jail for not clearing his jungle-like garden. William Glyn Cross, 80, faces a possible prison sentence if he does not allow council workers to tidy up the outside of his home in Thornhill, Cardiff. The retired teacher has attracted the ire of his neighbours because of his garden, which is so overgrown that the house cannot be seen from the road. The garden is littered with urine-filled milk bottles that Mr Cross says he uses as fertiliser. But his neighbours have accused him of creating a hotspot for vermin. Cardiff council said he had caused 'unnecessary suffering' to others on his road because of the 'state of his back garden'. The authority has now secured a criminal behaviour order that gives the authority powers to enter the property by force to clear the garden. 'This has been going on for two years, and his neighbours should not have to continue tolerating it,' said Norma Mackie, a local councillor. 'We have tried to help on numerous occasions, but even when our contractors went to clear the accumulation of waste on his behalf, he refused them access. There was no alternative but to take action against him. 'Now that the criminal behaviour order is in place, the council has powers to enter the property by force to carry out the work, if we need to do so.' Mr Cross, who read chemistry at the University of Oxford before becoming a science teacher, has previously admitted 'getting the balance wrong' in his garden since he moved there in 1988. 'I am not proud of being a hoarder. I do need help, it's become too much for me to control at my age,' he said in 2023. 'But I'd rather pay people to help. I don't want to be bossed around.' He has previously said his hoarding, which other members of his family have also struggled with, became worse after he and his wife divorced in 2012. In 2023, he was fined £250 for failing to comply with a waste enforcement notice issued by the council in 2022 that ordered him to clean up the garden. He was fined a further £100 last month for not complying with the notice.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
‘Eccentric' hoarder threatened with jail for not clearing jungle-like garden
A 'very eccentric' hoarder has been threatened with jail for not clearing his jungle-like garden. William Glyn Cross, 80, faces a possible prison sentence if he does not allow council workers to tidy up the outside of his home in Thornhill, Cardiff. The retired teacher has attracted the ire of his neighbours because of his garden, which is so overgrown that the house cannot be seen from the road. The garden is littered with urine-filled milk bottles that Mr Cross says he uses as fertiliser. But his neighbours have accused him of creating a hotspot for vermin. Cardiff council said he had caused 'unnecessary suffering' to others on his road because of the 'state of his back garden'. The authority has now secured a criminal behaviour order that gives the authority powers to enter the property by force to clear the garden. 'This has been going on for two years and his neighbours should not have to continue tolerating it,' said Norma Mackie, a local councillor. 'We have tried to help on numerous occasions but even when our contractors went to clear the accumulation of waste on his behalf, he refused them access. There was no alternative but to take action against him. 'Now that the criminal behaviour order is in place, the council has powers to enter the property by force to carry out the work, if we need to do so.' Mr Cross, who read chemistry at the University of Oxford before becoming a science teacher, has previously admitted 'getting the balance wrong' in his garden since he moved there in 1988. 'I am not proud of being a hoarder. I do need help, it's become too much for me to control at my age,' he said in 2023. 'But I'd rather pay people to help. I don't want to be bossed around.' He has previously said his hoarding – which other members of his family have also struggled with – became worse after he and his wife divorced in 2012. In 2023, he was fined £250 for failing to comply with a waste enforcement notice issued by the council in 2022 that ordered him to clean up the garden. He was fined a further £100 last month for not complying with the notice. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Yahoo
Hoarder given criminal behaviour order over untidy garden
A hoarder has been handed a criminal behaviour order by a local authority for failing to clean his garden. This means Cardiff council officers can now enter his property by force to clean it up. William Glyn Cross, 80, from Spring Grove in Thornhill, was fined and ordered by Cardiff council to clean his garden in 2022 after neighbours complained it was so overgrown and unkept that it was attracting vermin. As well as being fined £100 more in April 2025 for continuing not to comply with the notice, the criminal behaviour order now means the council can enter his property to clear it. The initial enforcement notice stated the property had to be cleaned and cleared of rubbish by July 21, 2022, or the council could clear the waste in default and charge the landowner. Cardiff council said local authority contractors were sent to clean up the garden but they were refused access. Cross was fined £250 for failing to comply with the legal notice following a hearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court in August 2023. As the issue continued, he was taken to court again in March 2025 but failed to attend leading to the case being adjourned until 24 April. Councillor Norma Mackie, Cardiff council's cabinet member responsible for Shared Regulatory Services, said there was no alternative but to take action. "The owner of this property is causing unnecessary suffering to his neighbours due to the state of his back garden," she said. "This has been going on for two years and his neighbours should not have to continue tolerating it. "We have tried to help on numerous occasions but even when our contractors went to clear the accumulation of waste on his behalf he refused them access." In a WalesOnline report from September 2023, Mr Cross said he was prepared to address the clutter at his property but wanted to do it on his own terms and said an enforced council clean-up would be a "desecration". Hoarding a mental health emergency - group warns MP calls for action on hoarding disorder 'Grief made me start hoarding - I slept in bed stacked with boxes'
BBC News
08-05-2025
- BBC News
Hoarder handed criminal behaviour order by Cardiff council
A hoarder has been handed a criminal behaviour order by a local authority for failing to clean his garden. This means Cardiff council officers can now enter his property by force to clean it up. William Glyn Cross, 80, from Spring Grove in Thornhill, was fined and ordered by Cardiff council to clean his garden in 2022 after neighbours complained it was so overgrown and unkept that it was attracting well as being fined £100 more in April 2025 for continuing not to comply with the notice, the criminal behaviour order now means the council can enter his property to clear it. The initial enforcement notice stated the property had to be cleaned and cleared of rubbish by July 21, 2022, or the council could clear the waste in default and charge the council said local authority contractors were sent to clean up the garden but they were refused was fined £250 for failing to comply with the legal notice following a hearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court in August the issue continued, he was taken to court again in March 2025 but failed to attend leading to the case being adjourned until 24 Norma Mackie, Cardiff council's cabinet member responsible for Shared Regulatory Services, said there was no alternative but to take action. "The owner of this property is causing unnecessary suffering to his neighbours due to the state of his back garden," she said. "This has been going on for two years and his neighbours should not have to continue tolerating it."We have tried to help on numerous occasions but even when our contractors went to clear the accumulation of waste on his behalf he refused them access."In a WalesOnline report from September 2023, Mr Cross said he was prepared to address the clutter at his property but wanted to do it on his own terms and said an enforced council clean-up would be a "desecration".
