# Derbyshire council places Lego blocks after legal win

> Derbyshire council dumps Lego blocks outside elderly woman's home after legal victory over garden gate access dispute.
- Title: Derbyshire council places Lego blocks after legal win
- Summary: Derbyshire council dumps Lego blocks outside elderly woman's home after legal victory over garden gate access dispute. Derbyshire County Council placed 54…
- Keywords: derbyshire county council, helene ball, david ball, garden gate access, lego blocks, reform uk, prescriptive rights, legal dispute, council surveillance, news, entertainment, Derbyshire
- Source: Dailymail — https://dailymail.com/news/article-16189655/council-dumped-huge-Lego-blocks-fight.html?ito=1490&ns_campaign=1490&ns_mchannel=rss
- Published: 2026-10-12T23:07:02+00:00
- Read time: 2 min
- Topics: derbyshire county council, helene ball, david ball, garden gate access, lego blocks, reform uk, prescriptive rights, legal dispute, council surveillance, news, entertainment
## Legal dispute over garden gate access
Helene Ball won a three-year legal fight with Derbyshire County Council after it set a fence in concrete in front of her garden gate in 2023.
## Council places Lego blocks
Derbyshire County Council dumped 54 huge Lego-style concrete blocks outside Helene Ball's home after winning the legal battle.
## Son under surveillance
Council officer Allen Shepherd instructed staff to block David Ball's access to records and track his visits to the council office.
## Legal victory
A judge ruled in Helene Ball's favor, adding her access rights to the land deed and ordering the council to pay £50,000 in costs.
## Council's response
Council claimed they were following standard procedures to record all visitors to the record office for security reasons.
## Son's reaction
David Ball felt physically sick after learning his mother's information was being tracked and shared with council staff.
## Council's internal conflict
Council officer Allen Shepherd was criticized by the judge for being 'surprisingly combative' with unsubstantiated claims.
## Legal dispute background
Helene Ball had used the garden gate route for nearly 60 years before the council installed a concrete fence in 2023.
## Council's surveillance tactics
Staff were instructed to document when David Ball visited, what he asked for, and how much information he received.
## Legal dispute resolution
The council was ordered to pay £50,000 in costs and ensure Helene Ball's access was not impeded again.
## Son's legal efforts
David Ball was researching the case to try and get his mother's access reinstated after the council blocked the gate.
## Council's internal email
Council officer Allen Shepherd told staff to stop providing David Ball with information as it could undermine the council's legal case.
## Legal dispute timeline
The dispute began in 2023 when the council installed a concrete fence over the garden gate, leading to a three-year legal battle.
## Council's justification
The council claimed the Lego blocks were meant to reinstate access but only served to distress Helene Ball further.
## Son's legal strategy
David Ball was trying to find out about signage at the car park that might be important to their claim for prescriptive access.
## Council's response to legal victory
The council dumped 54 Lego-style concrete blocks outside Helene Ball's home weeks after the legal victory.
## Key takeaway

Derbyshire County Council placed 54 Lego-style concrete blocks outside Helene Ball's home after winning a legal battle over garden gate access, while also monitoring her son's research efforts.