The devastating impact of a land dispute has been outlined to a parliamentary committee by a Tynwald Day petitioner.

Mark Cleator, who lodged his petition at Tynwald Hill on the island’s National Day last year, is calling for changes to the law on ’adverse possession’ which he described as ’wholly abhorrent’.

Giving evidence to Tynwald’s constitutional, legal affairs and justice committee, Mr Cleator (pictured) claimed his land had been ’stolen from me quite legally’.

He said the 3.7sq/m parcel of land near Laxey, had ’unbelievably’ been taken off him by adverse possession said to have taken place between 1950 and 1971. It had left him ’landlocked’, preventing access to his field.

Under Manx law, it is possible for the non-paper owner of piece of land to claim what is known as possessionary title, if five certain conditions are met for a period of 21 years.

’The actual owner loses his land to what is referred to in adverse possession as a squatter,’ said Mr Cleator.

Among the five conditions that must be satisfied for a successful adverse possession claim is that the claimant must have intended exclusive possession and the paper owner must have been dispossessed or discontinued possession.

He said while it would appear difficult to claim, a man of ordinary means could find themselves ’overwhelmed’ if they find their ownership is claimed by individuals with a source of funds behind them.

’I know there are people fighting still to try to put their families’ lives back together because of the cost of trying to protect your own property against bigger and more powerful people.

’And twists and turns mean you end up losing the land, paying your lawyers, paying the other side and it’s devastating.’

He said the costs he has been ordered to pay are ’entirely unreasonable’ - approaching £80,000 on top of the £50,000 he has already paid his lawyers.

’The next stage is that field is going to be claimed as well,’ he said.

He said adverse possession is ’designed for the aggressor, if he’s wealthy, to win. You can’t fight it.’

His petition calls for the committee to inquire into the island’s Land Registration Act and the creation and monitoring of a system to ensure it is not possible for financial weight to overwhelm a person’s right to a fair hearing.

Such a system would recognise the misuse of the legal system, vexation legislation and financial intimidation and penalise claimants and their advocates who use tactics amounting to sharp practice.

Mr Cleator said in the UK, adverse possession cannot be used against land held in trust.

He said it was ’ridiculous’ this wasn’t the case here.

He said the land in question had been held in trust by his late grandfather.

Committee chairman Jane Poole-Wilson said the committee would not seek to re-hear any legal case or act as an appeal hearing.