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  "path": "/news/cheshire-news-man-jailed-refusing-knock-down-houses-gods-land",
  "publishedAt": "2026-02-06T09:51:11.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Dog walker rescued from tree by firefighters after scrambling to flee angry cow",
    "Mansion owner in bitter planning dispute as he refuses to tear down unauthorised greenhouse",
    "Pensioner evicted from home after losing court battle with neighbour over 1 FOOT strip of land",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nA man who was jailed after refusing to knock down buildings built unlawfully on \"God's land\" has been criticised for wasting council and court time.\n\nMichael Merrill, of Wirswall, Cheshire, had been embroiled in a planning dispute with Cheshire East Council for over a decade.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe 53-year-old was first served with an enforcement notice by the local authority in 2014 over the unauthorised homes, including one for his family and a second for his in-laws.\n\nHe had also constructed other buildings all in open countryside and without permission, the council said.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMerrill, who referred to himself in court as Adam, claimed he had the right to \"live on the land\" and that the Town and Country Planning Act did not apply to him and his wife.\n\nThis was however rejected by the judge.\n\nThe council was granted a High Court injunction in October 2022 which required the removal of unauthorised development at Six Acres on Wirswall Road, Wirswall, near Whitchurch.\n\nAfter failing to comply with the injunction, Merrill was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 12 months on January 26, 2024, for contempt of court.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nDuring court proceedings, the defendant claimed he was unable to comply with the injunction because the site was \"God's land\", though accepted he was the registered proprietor, the BBC reports.\n\nMerrill was given further opportunity to comply with the injunction, which required all residential use of the land cease by July 2024 and all unauthorised development be demolished and removed by January 2025.\n\nHe however ignored the injunction, Cheshire East Council said.\n\nThe matter was referred back to court for further contempt proceedings.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Dog walker rescued from tree by firefighters after scrambling to flee angry cow\n  * Mansion owner in bitter planning dispute as he refuses to tear down unauthorised greenhouse\n  * Pensioner evicted from home after losing court battle with neighbour over 1 FOOT strip of land\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nMerrill was sentenced in his absence at the High Court in Manchester on May 19 2025, to 12 months in prison.\n\nAs he failed to attend the court hearing, a warrant was issued for his arrest and he was ordered to pay the council’s costs totalling £56,800.\n\nOn January 12, 2026, Merrill was arrested and taken to prison to serve his sentence.\n\nLocal councillor, James Pearson, told the BBC that Merrill had been given \"multiple opportunities\" to comply with orders and knock down the buildings.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\"The court has made a decision, the court has given an instruction and he's still not complied, which is why he's in prison,\" he added.\n\nCouncillor David Jefferay, chair of Cheshire East Council’s environment and communities committee, said: “Prison is the ultimate sanction which can be handed down by a court in matters concerning unauthorised development.\n\n“They are not proceedings which are taken lightly by the council.\n\n\"However, where there exists a continuing flagrant breach of planning control and where a landowner continues to carry out further unauthorised development, despite an injunction being in place, there is little option left to us.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Man jailed for refusing to knock down houses he built on 'God's land' accused of wasting court time"
}