Financier threatened to kill his neighbour's cat over Knightsbridge property dispute

NEWS AND COMMENT: A financier threatened to kill his neighbour's cat because of a row over the space between their properties which is described as a "cupboard" and which had been inappropriately and illegally appropriated by one neighbour (a former owner) against the rightful owner, the financier, Mr Knight, and his wife.

Image by MikeB based on images from the Daily Mail.

Between two properties in Knightsbridge, there was a peculiar cupboard space which belonged to Anthony and Angela Knight's home.

The problem is that they didn't use that space as it had a separate door. In fact, they hadn't used it since 2010 when it was used a storage area. Over those intervening years of non-use, their immediate and adjacent neighbours Zyapkov and Grigore used this space as part of their flat apparently not knowing that their predecessors had illegally appropriated it by smashing through the party wall and thereby unlawfully incorporating it into their flat.

The Knights found out about this theft of part of their property when they visited their neighbour on an invitation. An argument ensued which went to litigation but the Knights and their new neighbours tried to settle the issue amicably. Emotion got in the way and the police were called several times.

In one argument, Mr Knight can be heard warning Zyapkov that taking the case to court would end in his ruin and the loss of his job at the Bank of America.

Also, it's alleged that Knight said: "Don't let the cat out here. If I see it, I will kill it."

Eventually they received a court order in which the cupboard will be returned to the Knights. His neighbours will foot Knight's lawyers' bills for the dispute. It's going to cost them over a hundred thousand pounds.

They were stupid to put it mildly. It was a total loss from the beginning and they must have been ill-advised or ripped off by their lawyers.

The flats are not far from Harrods where houses cost about £3 million upwards.

It is unsurprising to me that Mr Knight made a threat to kill his neighbours' cat because this happens so often as a domestic cat is a vulnerable sentient being. If they go outside as is not uncommon in the UK even in London, they are very vulnerable to angry people.

--------

P.S. please forgive the occasional typo. These articles are written at breakneck speed using Dragon Dictate. I have to prepare them in around 20 mins.