Son of criminal tycoon in row over £1m Chelsea flat extension – after claim he hired 'ARMED THUGS' to burglarize property
The son of a criminal tycoon is at the center of a nasty row over claims he hired 'armed thugs' to break into a £1million Chelsea flat.
Nicolaas Van Hoogstraten'His son is embroiled in a bitter dispute over a loft extension on the luxury London pad, in Finborough Road.
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London high Court has heard that the Van Hoogstraten family business used 'armed criminals' to enter Maria El Massouri's property.
The conflict has arisen because the Van Hoogstraten family business – Omani Estates Limited – owned by eldest son Max Hamilton – claims to own Ms Massouri's converted loft.
Ms Massouri alleged that Omani Estates Ltd “repeatedly caused officers to break into her flat, remove the front door and later for armed thugs to knock security cameras off the walls”, the court heard.
The resident has now sued the Van Hoogstraten company for damages, and confirmation that she owns the attic room through unlawful possession – better known as “squatters' rights”.
Omani Estates Ltd denied any wrongdoing and claimed Ms Massouri is the “offender”. They counterclaim as proof that they own the space.
Although they entered the scaffolding, removed a door and placed a wooden barrier over the stairs, they denied using “thugs” to break in.
FAMILY BUSINESS
Omani Estates Ltd is run by four children of Nicholas Adolf von Hessen.
Britannia Hamilton, 33, Richmond Hamilton, 33, Alexander Hamilton, 36, and eldest son Max Hamilton, 38.
Their father was a notorious property magnate who amassed a net worth of around £800 million in the early 2000s.
He became infamous for his poor treatment of tenants and has been behind bars in the past.
In his previous dealings with the law, a judge once described Nicholas as a “self-imagined devil” who considers himself “an emissary of Beelzebub.”
It became necessary for Ms Massouri to seek, ex parte, an injunction to restrain Omani Estates Ltd after the company repeatedly caused officers to break into her flat, remove the front door and later armed thugs to destroy the building's security cameras smashed walls.”
Hugh Jackson
The criminal was imprisoned for manslaughter in 2002 after his former business partner Mohammed Raja was shot dead on his doorstep in 1999.
However, the Court of Appeal quashed the conviction a year later he was walking free.
Mr Raja's family then filed suit in the civil court and Von Hessen was forced to pay them £6 million.
He also served prison time for paying a gang to throw a grenade into Rabbi Bernard Braunstein's home in Brighton because his son owed him money.
EXTEND ROW
The extension was actually completed in 2002 when Ms Massouri was granted planning permission, the court heard.
What are your rights?
Building Permit Guidelines according to gov.uk
If you want to build something new, make a major change to your building or change the purpose of your building, for example if you want to start a business, you will need a building permit.
To find out if you need a building permit, please contact your Local Planning Authority through your municipality.
If the building permit is refused, you can do so appeal.
You can appeal if you are refused planning permission for reasons you believe are contrary to the LPA's development plan or planning policy (these can usually be found on their website).
You can also appeal if you have received a building permit with conditions to which you object. You must explain why you think they are unnecessary, unenforceable, vague, unreasonable or irrelevant.
Another reason for an appeal is if the LPA has not given you a decision on your application and eight weeks have passed since the date they told you they received the application (or if any other time period that you agreed with them has passed agreed).
Ms. Massouri and her late husband later discovered there may have been another rental owner for the space they were building in.
However, when the couple tried to make contact, they thought the mystery owner “might not exist” because it was impossible to track anyone down, Ms Massouri's lawyer Hugh Jackson argued.
This prompted the homeowner to apply for squatter rights to the expansion in 2020.
Omani Estates Ltd subsequently filed a “complaint” for the first time in 18 years, accusing Ms Massouri of trespassing.
They claim the company purchased the lease in 1996.
The fact that it was extended after the demise: If you don't own something, would you build in an area that wasn't part of your lease?
Max Hamilton
Mr Jackson told the court: “It became necessary for Ms Massouri to seek, ex parte, an injunction to restrain Omani Estates Ltd after the company repeatedly caused officers to break into her flat, open the front door removed and later had armed thugs destroy the security. cameras off the walls.
“Even later, the defendant arranged for contractors to erect scaffolding at the rear of the building on top of the rear extension which formed part of the garden apartment, and enter the attic accommodation, demolishing the balusters in the stairs to the attic and constructing a horizontal partition wall on blocks , which separates the attic from the part originally rented to the plaintiff and her deceased husband.
COUNTERCLAIM
While Ms Massouri is fighting for an order stating she owns the attic space, Max Hamilton claims this is not the case.
He told the judge he had never ordered anyone to 'burglize' the property.
Mr Jackson asked Mr Hamilton how workers had not crossed the line to install the wooden “horizontal partition with blocks supporting it on the stairs”.
“They were instructed not to enter Ms. Massouri's property,” Hamilton responded.
To the extent this is alleged, it is denied that the suspect and/or his agents visited the premises and/or instructed a third party to do so on their behalf.”
Omani Estates Ltd
Mr Jackson told the judge that Mr Hamilton's father was known to displace tenants by removing their stairs.
The lawyer also spoke about Von Hessen's alleged derogatory comments towards tenants – whom he called 'scumbags'.
He also handed over a letter to the court written by Alexander, co-director of Omani Estates Ltd, calling Ms Massouri “a fraudster”.
When asked if he agreed, Mr Hamilton said: “The fact that it was extended after the demise, if you don't own something, would you build in an area that wasn't part of your lease?”
'ILLEGAL'
Omani Estates Ltd continues to claim that Ms Massouri's extension is “unlawful” and that she has “no legal ownership or interest in the roof area”.
The company added that it was necessary to remove her door because she was an intruder.
In a statement they claim: “The door was removed from its hinges by external contractors, but the door was not damaged or removed from the property.
“It is admitted that the partition was installed by external contractors of the defendant.
“The scaffolding was only erected in areas belonging to the defendant's death.
“The external contractors were expressly instructed not to enter the premises vacated by the lease agreement on the second floor.
“To the extent this is alleged, it is denied that the defendant and/or his agents visited the premises and/or instructed a third party to do so on their behalf.
“Defendant is entitled to possession of the extension to the extent it is located on the roof.
“The plaintiff occupied the trespassing area without the defendant's permit or consent.”
Judge Caddick will rule at a later date.
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