Retired teacher, 60, who claimed she was evicted from £15K beach hut in row with locals over ‘anti-social behaviour’ because she was ‘too glamorous’ appears in court accused of breaching harassment order against another woman
- Read more: Retired teacher evicted from her £15k ‘mermaid haven’ beach hut
A woman who claimed she was forced out of her £15,000 beach hut for being too glamorous has appeared in court and denied breaching a harassment order against another woman.
Michele Spicer, 60, previously claimed she was evicted from her seafront haven by jealous locals.
Ms Spicer denies breaching a harassment order preventing her from going within 200m of Victoria Harvey or attending the David Lloyd Gym in the town. A trial at Worthing Magistrates’ Court was adjourned after prosecutors said they had not seen a defence expert report.
The injunction was granted in September last year and Ms Spicer denies breaching it the following month.
Michele Spicer (pictured outside Worthing Magistrates’ Court) claimed she was evicted from her seafront haven by jealous locals
Michele Spicer posing inside her beach hut in Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex
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The retired teacher claimed she was evicted from the £15,000 beach hut in Goring-by-Sea, West Sussex, after her divorce amid a row with locals over ‘antisocial behaviour’.
The mother of two said her relationship with neighbours quickly deteriorated after locals became jealous of her.
She claimed they were jealous of her glamorous car and her modelling work.
Worthing Borough Council removed the hut, which Ms Spicer claimed was worth £35,000, making her the first person removed from a beach hut in 25 years.
The former teacher purchased the hut in April 2020 as a safe haven for herself and her mental health following her divorce.
Ms Spicer said: ‘I went to the beach hut one morning a few weeks ago and the locks were changed – then it was removed without my knowledge.
‘I am just a beach hut owner quietly enjoying the area because it’s good for my mental health.
‘I wanted the hut to improve my mental health but it’s just been 18 months of total misery.’
At Worthing Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, Ms Spicer spoke only to confirm her name, date of birth, address and to say she understood the case would not be heard.
Speaking outside court, Ms Spicer said: ‘The sparks are going to fly, there’s going to be fireworks and champagne popping when I win.’
Ms Spicer (pictured) denies breaching a harassment order preventing her from going within 200m of another woman, Victoria Harvey, or attending the David Lloyd Gym in the town
The trial was adjourned to July 5 at the same court.
Ms Spicer’s relationship with her neighbours quickly deteriorated due to arguments involving a campaign to reopen a public toilet, accusations of ‘antisocial behaviour’ and the parking of her Mercedes.
She claimed to have had angry notes and dog poo left on her car by residents who were furious that she continued to use a ‘private’ car park.
Ms Spicer, who previously said she had done ‘nothing but good for the community’, believed locals had simply become ‘jealous’ of her.
Speaking at the end of 2021, she said: ‘I’ve done nothing wrong – it’s a conspiracy against me to get me removed.
‘I think it’s because they’re jealous of me because I’m a model and I’m very glamorous with a sports car.’
Worthing Borough Council stepped in in October 2021 after saying the number of complaints left it with ‘no choice’ but to evict Ms Spicer – the first beach hut eviction for 25 years.
Ms Spicer, a retired teacher, claimed local residents were simply ‘jealous’ of her because she is a model with a glamorous car
Local residents are claimed to have left abusive notes on her car after becoming furious that she parked her Mercedes in a ‘private’ car park
The mother-of-two, from Worthing, West Sussex, claimed the notes had been left on the windscreen of her car
Ms Spicer claimed she was entitled to use the car park despite a furious backlash from local residents
The hut was removed from its spot and the locks were changed, she claimed.
Ms Spicer said: ‘I went to the beach hut one morning a few weeks ago and the locks were changed – then it was removed without my knowledge.
‘I am just a beach hut owner quietly enjoying the area because it’s good for my mental health – but neighbours started bullying me and conspiring against me.
‘I don’t think there is anything wrong with my parking – and I only tried to get a toilet re-opened.
‘I did nothing but good for the community – but they’re jealous of me because I’m glamorous.
‘It feels like this has ruined my life – I’ve lost my beloved beach hut.’
The former teacher purchased the hut in April 2020 to create a safe haven for herself and her mental health following her divorce.
She says she spent months renovating it to the point where she claimed it to be worth £35,000.
Ms Spicer said abusive notes were left on her car windscreen following a campaign to have a toilet reopened near to the row of beach huts.
Ms Spicer says she has done ‘nothing wrong’ and believes local residents are conspiring against her
The inside of Ms Spicer’s beach hut, which she describes as her ‘mermaid haven’ following her divorce
Despite the toilet sitting on council-owned land, local residents of a nearby development pay a service charge for the upkeep of the loo and objected to her demands, she claimed.
The notes contained insults calling her an ‘idiot’ and stating she was ‘p******’ residents off.
However, she claimed she was entitled to park her Mercedes as she had been.
She added: ‘I didn’t do anything wrong – but because I model and I have a nice car, they have a certain impression of me.’
Her neighbours, whom she describes as ‘bullies’, eventually reported her to the council for antisocial behaviour, she said.
When she visited the hut on October 22 of 2021, she found the locks had been changed before it was later removed from the spot entirely.
She said it had been moved to the front of a sailing club, still with all her belongings inside.
Ms Spicer continued: ‘I had a full breakdown on the beach when I couldn’t find it.
Ms Spicer says residents that have grown angry with her are ‘jealous because I’m glamorous’ and drive a Mercedes
The former teacher and mother-of-two poses while leaning against her Mercedes, which was the focal point of rows with neighbours
‘When I did, I found it had been damaged beyond repair and all my belongings were still inside.
‘My pride and joy was taken without me even knowing about it.’
She camped for several days close to the hut due to fears of it being removed again.
Ms Spicer demanded the hut be moved to her garden in Worthing and said she ‘won’t give up’ until she gets ‘justice’, as she vowed to take legal action against the council.
The mother-of-two said: ‘Honestly it’s ruined my life – I’ve experienced a hell of a lot of stress.
‘I’m just a normal beach hut owner – I come to the beach for a walk for my mental health and I’m sociable with the other owners.
‘I wanted the hut to improve my mental health but it’s just been 18 months of total misery.
‘The hut is my life and my little haven – and I just want it back where it belongs.’
A spokesperson for Worthing Borough Council previously said: ‘We are sorry it has come to this but for the first time in about 25 years we have had to take eviction action at one of our beach huts.
‘The number of complaints received from local residents really left us with no choice but to conclude that Mrs Spicer has breached the terms of her lease.’
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