An eco-tycoon and his wife who were filmed destroying a community flowerbed amid a bitter row with his green-fingered neighbours over plans to build a gym at his home has finally settled the case and left the country.
Michael Hodgson, 55, of Gwaenysgor, near Prestatyn, North Wales, was charged with criminal damage listed at a value of £178 in the village of around 230 residents in August last year.
He and his wife Shirin Pootschi, 57, were caught on camera in a furious rage pulling up of a bed of wildflowers outside his house just 24 hours after they were planted.
Hodgson, a wind turbine firm director who formerly worked in the oil and gas industries, had claimed the community planter placed by volunteers encroached on his property.
On Thursday Mold Magistrates’ Court was told Hodgson was seen attempting to destroy the planter with ‘power tools’ while volunteers staged a ‘sit-in’ to try and prevent its removal.
Police had to be called to the scene of the incident on August 13, 2024 amid the furious face-off between Hodgson and volunteers.
At the time locals said it was the culmination of a 10-year planning row between Hodgson and his neighbours, ongoing since he first moved to the village 11 years ago.
Hodgson had put in three separate planning applications to build a home gym and office adjoined to his £500,000 home – but each time it faced fierce opposition from neighbours.
He was caught on camera in a furious rage pulling up of a bed of wildflowers outside his house
Michael Hodgson, 55, of Gwaenysgor, near Prestatyn, North Wales, was accused of criminal damage listed at a value of £178 in the village of around 230 residents in August last year (Pictured outside court on Thursday)
Video footage appears to show wind turbine company director pulling out the colourful herbs and flowers less than 24 hours after the raised bed had been planted
The court heard the prosecution and defence had agreed to an out of court settlement prior to the case.
Hodgson has since donated an unspecified amount of money to a local church as part of an out of court community settlement order.
Prosecutor Mrs Jackson told the court Hodgson has since moved out of the UK, although still maintains a property in the village. It is unclear where he and his wife are now living.
Defence lawyer Selina Woodward said: ‘The community resolution was to pay a sum of money to the local church. That was paid.’
She added: ‘This gentleman and his wife have been through an absolute nightmare.’
The lawyer said a PC in the case had stopped responding and she sought an adjournment.
District judge Gwyn Jones adjourned the case until next month for North Wales police to liaise with Hodgson about the outstanding aspects of the community resolution.
Hodgson attempted to destroy the wooden planter by cutting it up with an angle grinder
Community volunteers sat on the planter in an attempt to stop the couple from destroying it
The bed was planted in preparation for Britain in Bloom and in association with the village Conservation Group and Community Council Biodiversity Project
He left court without answering questions.
The incident marked a low point in a long running feud between Hodgson, his partner Shirin Poostchi, 57, and a number of residents in Gwaenysgor.
There had been allegations from both sides of verbal abuse, vandalising of cars and other vehicles being covered in stale bread, chip fat and lipstick when they had been parked close to Hodgson’s home.
But tensions erupted over the placement of the planter, which was one of six set up around the village with the help of the local conservation group as part of a Britain in Bloom bid.
Neighbour Andy Clarke, 59, who filmed the incident, said at the time: ‘We installed a herb planter adjacent to their house – it is not on their land but is next to it.
‘Members of the public had to sit on the bed to stop them destroying it. What happened was breathtaking.
‘We had all worked on this to try and brighten up some of the messier parts of the village. There is a wonderful growing sense of community here but one which Mr Hodgson does not seem to share.
Mr Hodgson is seen gesticulating at the person filming the incident
It is not known what happened to the plants uprooted during the row, which took place in August lasat year
Less than 24 hours earlier members of the Gwaesnygor community had come together to plant the first of six planned beds
‘We hoped this planter would be the beginning of a planned project of six which would blossom in to a full-blown Britain in Bloom entry. After less than 24 hours, we are back to square one.’
Mr Clarke, a creative director at a design agency, added the flowers had been planted with the support of the community council in what he described as a ‘sleepy, rural, village, where the average age of residents must be over 60’.
He said: ‘We planted this to brighten things up and as part of readying the village for Britain in Bloom and in association with the village Conservation Group and Community Council Biodiversity Project.’
