England cricket legend's son faces £500k bill as heated neighbour row erupts over £3.85m estate

The dispute centred on land Gibson had acquired, including a portion of Cowdrey's tennis court.

Judge Jane Evans-Gordon ruled that Gibson had deliberately concealed her land purchase before using it to demand excessive payments from Cowdrey.

The judge found Gibson's behaviour "unreasonable and oppressive", determining that she had attempted to prevent the £3.85million sale of Cowdrey's property unless he met her financial demands.

When Cowdrey purchased the Grade II-listed property in early 2022, Gibson initially helped him feed his ducks.

However, after Cowdrey decided to sell the 10-acre estate just months later, Gibson launched what he described as a "clusterbomb" of complaints on email.

She contacted Cowdrey, his solicitor and estate agent, with allegations about his rights to run utilities, including water, electricity, sewage and telephone lines across her land.

Gibson also raised concerns about flooding in the area, suggesting it might have resulted from work carried out by the property's previous owners.

Although Cowdrey had already agreed to fence off the disputed land and relinquish any claim to it, Gibson's emails implied the dispute remained unresolved, ultimately leading prospective buyers to withdraw from the agreed £3.85million sale.

During the July trial, Cowdrey compared Gibson's relentless campaign to water torture, stating: "I likened it to the Japanese drip of water because it was like that. We are on the third anniversary of this. It's been a really horrendous experience."

Gibson, who represented herself in court, maintained she had merely raised legitimate property concerns and accused Cowdrey of behaving in an "ungentlemanly" manner.

However, Judge Evans-Gordon rejected her defence, ruling that Gibson's claims of ongoing disputes over the tennis court, utility services, and breaches of land covenants were "false".

The judge said: "I am satisfied Ms Gibson's conduct went well beyond any proper promotion of her own interests and tipped over into a form of blackmail or maliciousness."

The court awarded Cowdrey £150,000 in damages, representing the difference between the agreed sale price and the property's current £3.7million valuation.

Last week, Gibson returned to court where she was ordered to pay £360,000 towards Cowdrey's legal costs immediately, in addition to the £159,000 compensation already owed.

Barrister Brooke Lyne indicated that Cowdrey's total legal expenses exceeded £400,000, with the final amount subject to assessment.

Gibson also received legally-binding undertakings restricting how and when she may contact Cowdrey, with the judge warning that breaching these conditions could result in imprisonment.

The financial penalties mean Gibson faces total costs exceeding £500,000 for her attempts to derail her neighbour's property sale.

Cowdrey's estate comprises a sprawling farmhouse with wine cellar, guest cottage, studio, barn and workshop, alongside a quadruple carport and grounds featuring stables, woodland and two lakes.

Lord Colin Cowdrey, who became the first cricketer to achieve 100 Test matches.

The elder Cowdrey was subsequently made a peer in recognition of his contributions to cricket, becoming the first player to receive such an honour.

Renowned for his elegant batting style, Lord Cowdrey was praised by teammates as an "unbridled genius", with one commentator observing that he appeared to "charm rather than strike the ball".

Jeremy, Lord Cowdrey's second son, had been forewarned about potential difficulties with his neighbour, who resides in an adjacent barn conversion.

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