November 1961. My Father died and solicitors Cripps Harries Hall, as both executors and Trustees had the duty to obtain probate and continue as the trustees of his estate. Cripps Harries Hall had been our family solicitors for over 60 years and had acted as our Family’s executors and trustees on many occasions. I was to inherit his estate on the death of my Mother.

July 1986. Mother died in July 1986, that’s when my problems started.

September 1988. Wealden District Council served on me, breach of Planning, and Enforcement Notices, which subsequently lead to the discovery of negligence, culpable overcharging by Cripps Harries Hall as Trustees of my Father’s estate.

September 1989. My Mother’s estate had still not been wound up. I was receiving offers from Newnham Property Developers for the purchase of Summersales Farm which was not up for sale, nor was there any prospect that it would be for sale. Peter Raymond was a Director of this company and it was obvious he was using his knowledge of client affairs to acquire deceased client properties at undervalue for himself. I was later able to identify similar conduct by other partners, who it appears, use their position to gain a fraudulent advantage.

January/March 1990. By way of the subsequent Planning Appeal against the breach of Planning and Enforcement Notices, negligence and culpable overcharging was identified.

November 13th 1990. Partner, Peter Raymond sent invoices, (not Statute Bills) demanding payment for their fees regarding the Planning Appeal which was lost due to their negligence and imposed a solicitor’s lien on all my Title Deeds as my property was “unregistered”.

November 17th 1990. I replied to Raymond’s demand requesting Cripps Harries Hall to justify their fees in the light of the fact that they had been found to be negligent in administration of my Father’s Estate. I also informed them that I did not live or work in the United Kingdom.

January 1991. Cripps Harries Hall declined my request for justification of their fees and decided to circumvent the Statutory Provisions of the Solicitors Act 1974, and issue “unlawfully” and “fraudulently” two High Court Writs to an address they knew I was not at and enter judgment by default, in breach of section 69(2) Solicitors Act 1974, also enter judgment premature and irregular, in contravention of Anlaby & Oths-v-Praetorius [1888] 20 Q.B.D. 764 at 771. Reinforced by Charlesworth-v-Focusmulti Ltd [1993] The Independent, March 15, Cap; Transcript 1993, 0228, CA, even if the point is first taken at Court of Appeal.

( continued overleaf [2] )