Gloucestershire scrap metal hoarder Mark Peto evicted

A hoarder who made his neighbours' lives a misery after turning his garden into a scrapyard has been evicted.

Mark Peto, 38, had more than four tonnes of scrap metal at Woodview Road in Cam, Gloucestershire.

He was evicted last month by Stroud District Council after refusing to clear the property.

He had "inflicted misery on his neighbours" and some had been unable to sell their homes, the authority said.

As well as metal, flammable material such as wood was stored around his house.

In February 2022, Gloucester County Court granted a civil injunction order requiring Mr Peto to clear the garden.

In June however, Mr Peto assaulted a council officer who approached him about his failure to comply with the order, the court had heard.

The attack led a judge at Gloucester Crown Court to send him for mental health treatment and rehabilitation, but he still refused to clean up the mess.

The council was granted a possession order in February by the county court and Mr Peto was evicted the following month.

The authority had worked with both the police and the fire service to make the property safe.

"Neighbours have had to live with the risk of flammable materials being stored against their property as well as being unable to sell their homes due to the eyesore," a spokesman said.

"When approached by council officers Mr Peto was aggressive."

Councillor Mattie Ross, chair of Stroud District Council housing committee, said: "Over a prolonged period, Mark Peto inflicted misery on his neighbours with no thought or concern of his actions on others.

"Whilst we always use eviction as a last resort, the council had no option in this case but to apply to the courts for a warrant.

"This issue was finally resolved for the good of the community, thanks to the hard work of all the agencies involved, for which I am very grateful."

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