Fisherman Would Go To Jail

DEFIANT fisherman Clive Mills insists he will go to prison, rather than take his boat from a Littlehampton wharf where, a court has ruled for the third time, he is trespassing, writes Roger Green.

Mr Mills latest clash with Arun District Council, over riverside land earmarked for a multi-million pound regeneration scheme, ended in defeat again for the fisherman at the Appeal Court in London on Monday.

But while Arun welcomed the decision as paving the way for its East Bank housing and leisure development, after 18 months of delay because of court action, Mr Mills vowed he would stay put on Norfolk Wharf, his base since March last year.

I will go to prison if I have to. That s my last stand. If they want to send me to prison, I will go there. It would upset my wife and children and a lot of other people, but what else can I do?

I m just fighting for my livelihood. If I lose this, I lose everything.

And as soon as I m out of prison, I will go back onto the quay. I m not going to give in, Mr Mills told the Gazette on Tuesday night.

At Monday s hearing three judges

unanimously ruled that Mr Mills was trespassing on the land, owned by Arun, and refused Mr Mills leave to appeal. He was also ordered to pay Arun s court costs of 7,000.

For the full story, see the Gazette, October 18.