Martin and Scott Nicholas sued Thomas after their breeding facility suffered severe losses from nearby construction, which included a JCB digger bucket left raised near the aviary despite prior warnings. A High Court trial in Bristol determined that the disruptive noise and visual stress caused the deaths of the birds, including one specimen valued at £150,000. Although the Court of Appeal dismissed the initial private nuisance finding in February 2026, it maintained Thomas's liability under negligence. Thomas now faces approximately £500,000 in total costs, encompassing around £300,000 in compensation and interest alongside more than £180,000 in legal expenses.
Key points
The Court of Appeal overturned the original finding of private nuisance but upheld Thomas…: The Court of Appeal overturned the original finding of private nuisance but upheld Thomas's liability for negligence in February 2026.
Construction disruptions during the sensitive avian breeding season directly resulted in…: Construction disruptions during the sensitive avian breeding season directly resulted in the deaths of three birds and damaged eggs.
Both parties are continuing to challenge aspects of the ruling, pushing the half-million-…: Both parties are continuing to challenge aspects of the ruling, pushing the half-million-pound legal battle toward the Supreme Court.
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Three falcons died and eggs were damaged after building work near a neighbouring aviary in Cornwall, sparking a legal dispute that has left former reality TV contestant Barnes Thomas facing a reported bill of around £500,000, as reported by The Independent. Thomas, who appeared on Bear Grylls’ survival programme The Island in 2018, was sued by falcon breeders Martin and Scott Nicholas, whose business operated beside his land. One of the dead birds was valued at £150,000. The Court of Appeal overturned the finding of private nuisance but upheld Thomas’s liability in negligence. The dispute has since moved towards a potential Supreme Court appeal, with both sides challenging aspects of the ruling.
Why a former reality TV star’s move to Cornwall ended in a £500,000 legal battle
Thomas moved from dealing in art in London to farming near St Just, close to Land’s End. The change of setting did not bring a quiet life. His relationship with neighbours Martin Nicholas, 43, and Scott Nicholas, 45, deteriorated as disagreements developed over activities on his property. The brothers ran Raptors of Penwith…
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