British couple's legal fight with Almeria council goes on

A BRITISH couple who lived in a garage for four-and-a-half years after their Almeria home was demolished have suffered a fresh setback.

After Len and Helen Prior, both in their early 70’s, last year won a court battle entitling them to €425,185 in compensation, the Andalucian High Court of Justice has now ruled that they will receive just over half that amount.

Vera Council must now pay €220,433 to the pair after appealing the initial decision as a nine-year legal battle drags on.

The Priors’ story made international headlines after their home was bulldozed in 2008 over ‘planning irregularities’ although the couple insist the build was legal.

They had initially requested €800,000 which included a €200,000 emotional damages claim, but the latter was reduced to less than €10,000.

Gerardo Vazquez, lawyer and spokesperson for the Abusos Urbanisticos Almanzora No campaign group, which has been helping the Priors through their ordeal, said: “I hope their ordeal ends soon because they are good people and don’t deserve this constant stream of bad news.”