ASBO Accountant Dodges Jail Again In Long-Running Dispute

ASBO Accountant Roger Gloucester-Trotman & Access Road

An accountant involved in a bitter parking and access dispute, which he says claimed the life of his son and £200,000 in legal bills, received a suspended sentence today for three breaches of an ASBO - imposed to protect his long-suffering neighbours.

Roger Jocelyn Gloucester-Trotman, 74, and his late son Ian Trotman, who committed suicide aged 44, owned the service road behind a suburban parade of shops, where the defendant's accountancy business is based.

Planning permission was successfully won - despite local objections -  to build two three-storey townhouses at each end of the road and Gloucester-Trotman tried to stop neighbouring business owners using and parking there despite them having legal access rights.

Since February 2005 Gloucester-Trotman, of Devon Road, Cheam has clocked-up at least ten criminal convictions - mostly breaches of ASBOs and restraining orders - around his business premises in Westmead Road, Carshalton.

A neighbour reported Ian Trotman to police for criminal damage after her boiler flue, which was adjacent to the second development site, was vandalised and he was arrested.

However, on May 28, 2010 his body was discovered in a drain located on the site and an inquest concluded he killed himself by carbon monoxide poisoning.

"He was driven to it by the police," said Gloucester-Trotman, after he was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court to eight months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

He had pleaded guilty to breaching an anti-social behaviour order twice on May 27 and once on June 13, last year.

"A long-standing parking dispute started off these matters," said prosecutor Miss Shazia Ahmed. "In all three incidents separate individuals were approached by the defendant and shouted at that they were murderers and that they had murdered his son."

Last year Gloucester-Trotman was also struck-off by the Institute of Chartered Accountants and fined £1,000 for breaching an ASBO.

His battle with his business neighbours concerning parking and access in the road ended up at Guildford County Court, which ruled against Gloucester-Trotman, costing him £200,000 in legal bills.

During the dispute he dug up the access road on Boxing Day, preventing any vehicles gaining access and parking.

His lawyer Mr. Rhodri James told the court: "It is my plea for him to be given one last chance. These incidents come from what he sees as a lack of road traffic enforcement.

"He went from putting vim and vigour into his accountancy practice to enforcement of road traffic regulations at his home address and at his office.

"The offences are brought about by his inability to grieve and deal with the tragic death of his son and the ASBO and restraining order were imposed to to provide peace and harmony for his neighbours."

A new five-year ASBO order was made by Judge Nicholas Ainley prohibiting Gloucester-Trotman abusing his neighbours, calling 999 except in an emergency and calling police to complain about car parking and the death of his son.