A JUDGE has ordered an Oxford residents' association officer to gut an illegally-built bungalow and turn it into a garage - which it was meant to be in the first place.

Old Marston Residents' Association secretary Nigel Cowell, of Mill Lane, Marston, was given planning permission by Oxford City Council to build a garage on land he owned in the lane.

So council officers were a little surprised to find that when it was finished it had windows, a kitchen, bathroom, and gas - and nowhere for a car to go.

Officers issued an enforcement notice on Cowell, against which he appealed.

After losing that appeal, as well as an appeal against a decision not to grant him retrospective planning permission for the bungalow, the council gave him until January last year to turn the home into a garage.

He refused, and demanded the issue be heard in court.

And a jury at Oxford Crown Court spent 15 minutes deliberating before finding him guilty of failing to comply with an enforcement order.

Judge Christopher Compston labelled him "silly" for trying to defend the case.

During the trial, Judge Compston repeatedly told Cowell he could not defend himself by arguing the notice was unjust, only by explaining if there were extenuating reasons as to why it had not been complied with.

Cowell, 64, defending himself, said the home was built for a friend who had lost his wife to cancer and accused the council of vindictiveness.

Peggy Etiebet, prosecuting, said: "Mr Cowell did absolutely nothing to secure compliance with the notice and has committed a criminal offence."

Cowell pleaded with the jury that he had not intended to break planning law.

"I honestly didn't know I would get trapped by this particularly piece of legislation," he said.

"I did this to try and help someone and I've worked hard to try and solve this problem."

The judge told Cowell he had until September to make the changes.

He said: "If in September nothing has been done, I will fine you as heavily as I can.

"I don't think you are a malicious or nasty man, but you are very silly in this case."

Judge Compston told the jury it was extremely rare for such a case to reach crown court and that he had warned Cowell at a hearing in December he had no adequate defence.

Cowell said he would remove internal fittings, modify windows and doors, and reduce the height and size of the building.

"This is the end of the line," he told the judge.

The council is seeking costs of more than £5,000.

Outside court, Cowell said developing land in the city for houses was preferable to building on Green Belt land.

He said: "There is an acute shortage of housing in Oxford. People are forced to commute from outside the city."