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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Ed Cullinane

Millionaire faces prison again for building ‘Britain’s best man cave’ with bowling alley and casino

SWNS.com

A millionaire who illegally built ‘Britain’s best man cave’ could be facing jail again as his latest court deadline expired.

Accountant Graham Wildin, 70, was sent to prison for repeatedly refusing to knock down his extension - which he doesn’t have permission for.

He was jailed for six weeks by a High Court judge last year for contempt of court following a hearing in Cardiff.

He had failed to comply with court orders to remove it having previously been warned several times to knock down the complex behind his home in the Forest of Dean.

He built the 10,000sq/ft leisure complex, which has a bowling alley, casino and a cinema at the back of his home - without asking planners.

Mr Wildin was given 18 weeks from his release from prison to comply with a previous court order to make the giant leisure complex unusable by ‘soft stripping’ the inside - which was up on Friday (on January 27).

Graham Wildin, from Cinderford, Gloucestershire, was jailed for six weeks by a High Court judge for contempt of court following a hearing in Cardiff (David Hedges SWNS.com)

He claimed aid that demolishing the man cave would ruin him, costing an estimated £720,000.

It is not clear whether the extension remains in place, with the deadline having passed on Friday, January 27.

If it is not fully stripped he may go to prison again.

But officials might delay a decision until Wildin’s appeal against the prison term at Court of Appeal on March 1.

The leisure complex has a bowling alley, casino and a cinema ( SWNS.com)

Posting online, people were scathing about his refusal to knock it down.

One said: ‘’How much is this man costing the tax payer?’’

Another said: ‘’I blasted well hope so, arrogant little twerp!’’

One added: ‘’Tick tock....knock, knock...it down.’’

Graham Wildin inside the leisure centre he has built for himself and his family in his back garden ( SWNS.com)

But others had sympathy with him.

One wrote: ‘’’Poor sod - why cant people just leave him alone.’’

A council spokesperson said: “This is an ongoing legal matter and the council will continue to pursue it.”

Mr Wildin has been approached for a comment.

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