Video: British couple's dream Spanish holiday home demolished
A British couple has had to watch their dream home in Spain demolished - after it was built by a rogue developer.
John and Jan Brooks spent £170,000 on the the hillside villa in Cantoria, Andalucia.
But they will now face a long battle for compensate after Andalusian regional authorities sent in the wrecking ball on Monday, reducing their property to rubble.
The three-bedroom villa was one of two properties owned by Brits that was demolished, even though a court ruled a that John and Jan were innocent victims of a rogue builder who went ahead with construction without planning permission.
The battle over their villa has been going on for a long eight years. The couple bought the villa in 2005, before finding out a year later that it was illegal and already under a demolition order. By that time, they had already spent a further €20,000 on a pool and a new kitchen.
They had intended to spend three months a year living there, and share it with their six children and six grandchildren.
Pedro Llamas, the former mayor of Cantoria, was jailed for 23 months for issuing an illegal building licence. He, along with the building developer, Francisco Pedrosa, were ordered by the court to pay compensate to the Brooks and their other victims.
But they have both declared themselves bankrupt, meaning the Brooks will struggle to get their money back.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, John, from Taunton in Somerset, said: "We can't believe this actually happened, even after a court ruled that we were blameless in this and had acted in good faith."
John told the Daily Mail: "There are no words to adequately describe our anger at the greedy, selfish, corrupt creatures who caused this situation.
"We have no intention of ever setting foot in Spain again. Why should we spend money in Spain and give them the pleasure of having any more of my money? Never again."
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