A fundraiser is seeking to help cover a farmer's legal costs who was found not guilty of two charges after he used his telehandler to remove a car on his driveway.
The widely-publicised incident took place on 5 June 2021, when Robert Hooper used his telehandler to remove a car parked on his farm's driveway, blocking his access.
The 57-year-old told Durham Crown Court earlier this month he felt 'frightened and threatened' when he took action, after requests to the occupants to move the car had failed.
Following a four day trial, on 4 February a jury found the Teesdale farmer not guilty of charges of dangerous driving and criminal damage.
The case attracted widespread press coverage locally, nationally and even internationally, and Mr Hooper expressed his gratitude for the "overwhelming support from the local community and people from afar which kept him going through the last eight months of hell."
However, the farmer has now been left with a substantial bill for expenses incurred as a result of the trial.
An online GoFundMe page has been created to help him with the costs, with any surplus in funds raised to go toward rural charity projects.
Karen Henderson, who is organising the fundraiser, said: "A great many people already know of the incident.
"Teesdale farmer Robert Hooper used his telehandler to remove a car which had been parked on the driveway to his farm, blocking his access.
"This incident took place after requests to the occupants to move it had been unsuccessful and met with punches to the face."
She added: "Robert is now hoping to draw something positive from the experience, and hopes that a crowd-funding appeal to help with his costs will generate a surplus to fund projects that assist rural communities, in particular a local charity, UTASS and the national Farming Community Network."
The fundraiser, which has a £20,000 goal, has already raised over £4,500 as of Thursday 17 February.
