Farmer Robert Hooper

A great many people already know of the incident which took place on 5 June 2021, when Teesdale farmer Robert Hooper used his telehandler to remove a car which had been parked on the driveway to his farm, blocking his access. This incident took place after requests to the occupants to move it had been unsuccessful and met with punches to the face. On 4 February 2022 a jury found him not guilty of charges of dangerous driving and criminal damage – but he is left with a substantial bill for expenses incurred as a result of the trial.

The case attracted widespread press coverage locally, nationally and even internationally, and Mr Hooper expressed his gratitude for the ‘overwhelming support from the local community and people from afar which kept him going through the last eight months of hell’.

Robert is now hoping to draw something positive from the experience, and hopes that a crowd-funding appeal to help with his costs will generate a surplus to fund projects that assist rural communities, in particular a local charity, UTASS (Upper Teesdale Agricultural Support Services) and the national Farming Community Network.

Thank you.