Former pin-up Jodie Marsh to challenge Uttlesford District Council’s lemur ban in court

Former glamour model Jodie Marsh is taking Uttlesford District Council to court after she was banned from keeping lemurs at her wildlife sanctuary.

Councillors rejected her application for a dangerous wild animal licence after expressing concerns that she took a meerkat and an owl to the pub.

Her project, Fripps Farm Animal Rescue, a community interest company (CIC) in Lindsell, near Dunmow, has provoked opposition and criticism from residents.

Ms Marsh says she was “looking forward” to her court date to appeal the decision by the council, and claimed Uttlesford has been “unlawful” in rejecting her application.

She said: “We’ve lodged our appeal with the magistrates’ court. It’s going to cost the council thousands and thousands of pounds to defend it, wasting yet more money from the residents of Uttlesford.

“We’ve actually found out – well, my barrister has – that the reason they rejected my licence is actually unlawful. They didn’t stick to the requirements of the licence and took irrelevant factors into account.”

UDC’s licensing and environmental health committee heard how on two occasions the ex-model had taken a baby meerkat she was hand-rearing to a pub. At the hearing, Ms Marsh insisted the young animal could not be left alone at the time. The committee was also told that on another occasion Ms Marsh took an owl to the pub.

Then, committee chairman Cllr Richard Freeman said: “The panel are concerned that the incident with the meerkat highlighted that the applicant was prepared to undertake significant work to support its development, however, there are aspects whereby the impact of having to undertake this work were not conducive to her wider life and this led to her making the decision to take the animal to the pub on at least two occasions.

“The panel is not convinced by her approach or responses which were given.”

Uttlesford District Council was unavailable for comment.