Aristocratic landlords have won a legal battle to evict a sexologist who moved into their landmark home of 50 farm animals.
‘Lady Pea’ Patricia Ramshaw has a falling out with the wealthy Cator family over the rent of the old house in Ranworth, Norfolk.
The Cators allege that Mrs. Ramshaw violated the terms of her lease when she arrived with a menagerie of animals, including four dogs, several sheep, horses, ducks and geese.
They asked Mrs Ramshaw to leave the premises, but talks broke down.
Mrs. Ramshaw is desperate to leave the premises and the Cators want the same result.
However, the standoff revolves around Mrs Ramshaw’s request for repayment of more than £40,000 in rent and £13,000 in utility bills accrued while she was living in the house.
The bitter feud has since played out in courtrooms across the region, with tribunal and district judge presiding over several hearings, and has been going on for more than a year.
At the final hearing, Ms Ramshaw stated that she had taken refuge by renting the house while trying to flee from domestic violence.
She said she paid the Cators a year’s rent in advance, but found the property without central heating, riddled with mold and “freezing cold”.
She says the Cator family agreed to pay her back in full, but talks over the terms of her departure broke down.
At an earlier hearing, the Cator family convinced a judge to issue a possession warrant against her.
But the final hearing took place after a request from Ms Ramshaw that the order be suspended.
District Judge Russell dismissed the case, stating that the court had not received the necessary paperwork to support the appeal.
He added that she had “no prospects of succeeding”.
But Ms Ramshaw insists she filed the paperwork and the court “lost” them.
The judge said: “I have no evidence that you have made an application – you say court staff are investigating, but I have seen no evidence of any grounds of appeal.
“There is no record of it and I can only go with what the court has.
“I reject the appeal you have filed because it has no substance and no chance of success.”
The judge also rejected a request from the Cators for a restraining order against Ms. Ramshaw.
Byroni Kleopa, representing the Cators, said Ms Ramshaw submitted a 400-page testimony by email on the day of the hearing at an earlier hearing date.
She said: “We have had request, after request, after request and they have all failed.
“The tenant has not paid rent for over a year and is in arrears of £41,000 which continues to rise daily.”
However, Ms Ramshaw dismissed her statement as “lies”.
In an earlier hearing, Ms Ramshaw alleged that Jane Cator, the mother of her landlord Sam, had spied on her from a nearby church steeple.
The Cator family has declined to comment on the case.
