A partner at Manchester firm Linder Myers hit the headlines this week after being he was caught on CCTV smashing his neighbour's house lamps.

Lawyer Paul Willan lives next door to property developer Simon Gallop on a tree-lined road in an expensive bit of Cheshire. Unfortunately the neighbours fell out after Gallop chopped off the branches of Willan's sycamore tree that overhung his land. Willan was infuriated by this, claiming Gallop had trespassed on his property.

From small disagreements, mighty furies grow, and Gallop was surprised to discover upon waking last month that five £2,000 lamps attached to his house had been smashed. And when he checked his CCTV footage he discovered Willan peeking over a wall "like a meerkat", before climbing over in his pinstripe suit and setting about the lamps with a scaffolding pole. On seeing the footage, Willan was cautioned by the police for criminal damage.

Paul Willan displaying aggressive enthusiasm

 
A spokesperson told the press that "Mr Willan has claims against Mr Gallop for trespass and criminal damage on two separate occasions, the latter [being] the damage to certain trees which caused the present incident. Mr Willan regrets and apologises for the current incident and acknowledges responsibility. At the same time he maintains his claims against Mr Gallop for civil damages and against him for criminal liability.”
 
Willan is described on Linder Myers' website as having "an aggressive enthusiasm".