Autistic woman devastated after Scottish Tory Councillor destroys beloved hedge

A woman has been left devastated after a Scottish Tory councillor destroyed a hedge.

Cllr Gavin Scott, 69, has been charged in connection to the vandalism after he ripped up his neighbour’s hedge.

Dorothy Welsh, 58, claims that she pleaded with Cllr Scott to leave her beloved garden alone, but he refused to stop.

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Cllr Scott, who is a councillor for South Ayrshire, told the Record the Police Scotland would take no action over the incident, claiming it would be “case closed”. However, officers confirmed a report will be sent to the procurator fiscal.

Speaking to the Record, Dorothy broke down in tears and said: “I’m very nervous because I have autism.

“When he started doing it, I asked him: ‘What are your intentions with my hedge? I do not want you to touch or remove my hedge. I am the owner and this is my property and you need my permission”.

“Then the following day I saw him removing my hedge again. I got my phone and took a video of what he started doing with my hedge and prepared a statement for the police.

“Then I contacted my friend who contacted the council on my behalf.

“I felt so powerless because I had done everything I could do.”

Dorothy explained that she rarely leaves her home but loves gardening and ‘it’s all she has’.

She continued: “I don’t even go out so my garden is my whole life. It is all I’ve got. I have nothing else.

“I keep blaming myself and thinking, what did I do? I don’t know what I’ve done.”

Cllr Scott defended his action and claims the hedge is council property and that he did nothing wrong.

When confronted by the Record, he said: “This has been going on for three or four months now. She is a very keen gardener but I’ve got a new car and plan to use my garden as a driveway. It will be nice when it’s finished.

“The lady next door was upset to say the least, but the hedge is certified as council property officially and I’ve been snipping away.

“She had the police here yesterday but the sergeant said it’s ‘case closed’.

“Above all I am allowed to do everything.

“If you want to know any more about me you can Google me.”

Dorothy’s friend David Russell, who complained to South Ayrshire Council and the Conservative party on her behalf, said they are still waiting on a response.

He said: “I pointed this out to the council but they shunned me.

“Then I phoned the Conservative head office in Edinburgh because he is a conservative councillor.

“They listened to what I said but didn’t respond.”

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A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “On Wednesday, 22 May, 2024, officers received a report of vandalism in the Carrick Road area of Girvan.

“A 69-year old man was charged in connection with the incident.

“A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal.”

A South Ayrshire Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the situation and we are following due process.”