I’m being threatened with PRISON for a wall I built 50 years ago – £3,000 in fines means I’ll have to sell my house
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A FARMER has been threatened with a prison sentence and a £3,000 fine over a boundary wall he built 50 years ago. Ron Knight, 88, has vowed to 'die in prison' rather than hand over his hard-earned cash. The pensioner says he has faced six years of a "living nightmare" since receiving a planning enforcement notice from the council for removing part of a concrete wall to allow access to his land.
![[Ron Knight is refusing to pay a fine for a wall he built half a century ago]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2023-retired-farmer-ron-knight-863073426.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
He had built it himself in 1973 but when he took part of it down in 2017 he was told it was 'historic', in a 'conservation' area and he needed planning permission. After missing the deadline to appeal, Ron has now been in court four times and racked up thousands of pounds in fines he said they can not afford to pay.
![[Ron has been dragged to court four times over the wall]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2023-see-swns-story-swlnwall-862835968.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
In October 2024, a judge told him he would face 45 days in prison unless he rebuilt the wall and repaid all fines. But Ron, who said his pleas have continued to fall on deaf ears, said he would rather be locked up "if it's the last thing he does" than accept he has done anything wrong.
![[He said he would rather go to prison than pay the £3,000 fine]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2023-retired-farmer-ron-knight-863072753.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
He said: "It is getting us all down. We are all sick and tired and fed up. It doesn't matter what we say, they don't take any notice. "Standing up for myself and being prepared to go to jail is the only way I can see to get anyone to see sense. "If going to prison is the last thing I do on this earth, I will do it to stop this madness.".
![[Ron said the fight has been a 'nightmare' for the last six years]](https://www.thesun.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/2023-see-swns-story-swlnwall-961615955.jpg?strip=all&w=960)
