GUY RITCHIE'S SQUATTERS GET BOTH BARRELS - Film-maker wins court eviction battle over his Fitzroy Square home

Published: 18 February 2011
by JOSH LOEB

FILM-MAKER Guy Ritchie last night (Thursday) won a court battle to evict squatters from his Grade I-listed house.

At least 12 squatters are currently occupying the £6million property in Fitzroy Square, Fitzrovia, which belongs to Mr Ritchie, the director of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking ­Barrels and former husband of Madonna.

The group, which calls itself the Really Free School in reference to the Conservatives’ flagship education scheme, moved in during renovation works. They had since invited the public to attend a “free school” on the premises.

They have staged public lectures in the building under titles such as “Quantum Weirdness for Non-Physicists”.

A banner that has been hung from the windows outside the property proclaims: “Capitalism is crisis.”

But at the Central London County Court yesterday, squatter Brian Murray, representing the group, requested more time to seek legal advice.

He said he believed Mr Ritchie “was worried that we were planning a massive squat rave like the one that was in Oxford Street”.

But he added: “We have no intention to do that. We would give an undertaking not to do that. We just want more time to prepare a defence.”

Michael Buckpitt, for Mr Ritchie, requested an Interim Possession Order (IPO), saying documentary evidence showed Mr Ritchie was the freeholder. 

Mr Murray questioned whether Mr Ritchie alone had right of possession of the property, saying he had been told by “a third party” about a former occupant whose tenancy may not have been officially terminated. 

He also claimed notice to quit had been served after the court’s deadline expired.

Asked by Judge Marc Dight what his occupation was, Mr Murray replied: “I’m studying. I am a law student.”

Asked why he had not mentioned this earlier, he replied: “I wanted to lull you into a false sense of security.”

Mr Buckpitt told the court land deed documents showed Mr Ritchie was “registered as the sole proprietor of the property” and that witnesses and news reports showed the notice had been served in time. 

He told Judge Dight: “I think that if you go  on YouTube you can probably see the news coverage of the notice service actually taking place.”

Provoking laughter from the squatters, the judge replied: “I’m not going on YouTube.”

Granting the IPO, Judge Dight said: “It seems to me that the defendants, despite their valiant attempts, are unable to support a procedural or a substantive claim.”

He said he was satisfied that Mr Ritchie had an immediate right to possession and that the squatters were there without his consent.

The group are believed to have gained access while work to renovate the property and remove asbestos  was taking place. 

The building was designed by architect Robert Adam in the 1700s and is considered “of historical importance,” Judge Dight said.

A representative of the Really Free School, which reportedly has a “no media” policy, declined to speak to the West End Extra – but the group has advertised itself on social networking websites.

The squatters have until 6.30pm today (Friday) to vacate the premises and a final hearing will take place on Friday, February 25.

• A hearing to decide whether to grant a live music licence to The Punchbowl – the Mayfair pub part-owned by Guy Ritchie – will take place next week. The application, submitted by Town and Country Inns Ltd, will be heard on February 24 at 10am in Westminster City Hall, Victoria Street.