The son of legendary England cricketer Colin Cowdrey is locked in a bitter legal battle with his neighbor, claiming she ruined the sale of his £3.85 million home.
Jeremy Cowdrey, a former stockbroker and film producer, is suing Vanessa Gibson, a former futures trader, for £350,000 in damages after she allegedly obstructed the sale of his Crowbourne Farm property in Goudhurst, Kent.
Jeremy Cowdrey is now taking legal action against Vanessa Gibson, seeking £350,000 in damages, including 'aggravated damages' for what he claims is 'malicious falsehood' on her part.
Mr. Cowdrey’s stunning 10-acre estate includes a Grade II-listed farmhouse, two lakes, stables, and a tennis court, making it an attractive property with an asking price of £3.25 million.
However, he claims that Ms. Gibson spread false information about the property, including flooding issues and ongoing disputes related to his tennis court, which ultimately caused potential buyers to back out.
Mr. Cowdrey claims that Ms. Gibson launched a campaign of "malicious falsehoods", alleging that restrictive covenants on the land were violated and that flooding and utility issues blighted the property.
He argues that these false claims led to the failure of multiple property sales, including one offer of £3.85 million. Mr. Cowdrey is seeking aggravated damages for emotional distress and harassment caused by Ms. Gibson’s actions.
Ms. Gibson, who referred to herself as a "very private person," strongly rejected the accusations made against her.
In her defense, Ms. Gibson denies the allegations, claiming that she was merely concerned about flooding affecting both properties after Mr. Cowdrey raised the issue in 2022. She insists that the flooding originated from a poorly maintained overflow in one of Mr. Cowdrey’s lakes and that she acted in good faith to mediate the dispute.
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Despite Ms. Gibson's defense, Judge Butler allowed Mr. Cowdrey to pursue aggravated damages. The court will later decide whether Ms. Gibson’s actions were deliberately aimed at extracting money from Mr. Cowdrey by making false allegations.
Colin Cowdrey, b. 24t December, 1932 was renowned for his cricket career and leadership, is remembered as one of England’s greatest cricketers.
Cowdrey who played for Kent County Cricket Club from 1950 to 1976 and represented England in 114 Test matches from 1954 to 1975. Born in Ootacamund, India, and raised in England, Cowdrey was a right-handed batsman, notable for his impressive career stats, including 42,719 first-class runs with 107 centuries.
His highest score was 307, and he was also a skilled fielder, holding 638 career catches. Cowdrey made history as the first player to appear in 100 Test matches and was the first to score a Test century against six countries.
In addition to his cricketing achievements, he attended Oxford University, captained their cricket team, and played for both Kent and Oxford during his early career. Cowdrey’s legacy is celebrated, particularly through the Cowdrey Scholarships at Tonbridge School.
His son Jeremy, who transitioned from a stockbroker to a film producer, now faces this significant legal challenge, with the future of Crowbourne Farm hanging in the balance.
