LEWES MP NORMAN TAKEN TO COURT BY EX-NEIGHBOUR

Judge Fawcett threw out the claim, made by Mr Baker s former neighbour, 63-year-old Victor Tyrrell, of Railway Cottages, Beddingham, saying he had no legal right to be reimbursed.

But it was outside court that the sparks really flew.

Mr Tyrrell threatened to give Mr Baker the opportunity of inspecting the NHS from the inside !

And he told the Express: He was all right until he became an MP and then he became arrogant.

I did a great deal for him in the 14 years he was our neighbour. I was keyholder for him on occasions and used to feed his cat.

Mr Baker in response said he believed the case had been brought to do him political damage and to besmirch his good character.

He is a deeply unpleasant man, Mr Baker added.

Earlier, inside the court, Mr Tyrrell said he and Mr Baker at the time owned two of three cottages, all of which had a common drainage system.

He applied for consent from the Environment Agency to install a treatment plant to replace a septic tank on his property.

He was asking Mr Baker for one third of the 88 bill he paid for applying for consent.

Mr Baker had not paid it.

And Mr Tyrrell said Mr Baker used the fact that there was a consent for a treatment plant to help sell his home.

But Judge Fawcett told Mr Tyrrell that he might think he had a moral obligation to the money, but she could not see that he had a legal right unless he could show that Mr Baker had agreed to pay a share of the bill.

Mr Baker told the court: I regret it has come this far. At no time did I agree to consent to the discharge.

Published: 14.6.01 Sussex Newspapers Ltd