The Landlord Who Tried to Ban 'Coloured People' Is Suing a YouTuber Who Called Him Racist

Fergus Wilson, the Kent-based property mogul who tried to ban "coloured people" from renting his houses, is attempting to sue a YouTuber who described him as a "ginormous bum splatter of a man" for £10,000.

Fergus Wilson first hit the headlines in March of 2017. The multi-millionaire – once Britain’s biggest buy-to-let landlord – was revealed as having specified to an estate agent that he didn’t want "coloured people" in his properties "because of the curry smell at the end of the tenancy". His comments, exposed by the Sun, saw him taken to court by the Equality and Human Rights Commission, whose chief executive described his remarks as "truly disgusting … as well as being unlawful instructions from a landlord to a letting agent".

At the time, Wilson didn’t seem to think he’d done much wrong. Speaking ahead of his court hearing, he said: "All the local people here agree with me. It’s perfectly legal not to buy a house because you think it smells of curry. If you are in Luton or Bedford, maybe that won’t make a difference. But in Ashford and Maidstone, 99 percent of the population are not from India or Pakistan. The problem is that if you have a £250,000 mid-terrace house, the valuation drops by £50,000 if it smells of curry."

The EHRC won its case against him, with a judge ruling that the remarks absolutely amounted to discrimination, adding that "such a policy has no place in our society".

Around the time the story was first piquing interest, a YouTuber called Danny Hyde recorded and published his 1 minute, 44 second rant against Wilson. In the video he describes the landlord as a "penis", a "racist dickwad" and a "hypocritical saucer of tit-milk". In the video he suggests that Wilson bans curry instead of an "entire race of people". You can watch the full video above.

Wilson is suing Hyde for a staggering £10,000, arguing that the "grossly offensive" video compromises the Malicious Communications Act 1988. In a statement to the Metro, Wilson clarified that it was not what Danny said, rather "the way that he said it". Hyde has told the Metro that the legal proceedings will bankrupt him, as he has less than £100 to his name. Mr Wilson responded by saying, "He should not have done it at the start. If you start doing these things, you are responsible for the consequences." Friends of Danny Hyde have started a Crowdfundercampaign in an effort to assist with his legal fees.

The Malicious Communications Act covers letters or online messages that amount to bullying or harassment. Danny Hyde is defending his comments as "expressing his opinion", and plans to turn up at Yeovil County Court without a lawyer later this month. If the court disagrees, it could set a worrying precedent for bedroom-ranters everywhere. Following the recent Logan Paul scandal, and the news that the companies behind some London landmarks are planning legal action against the YouTube "daredevils" who climb their buildings, it seems YouTube's days as a lawless territory could be numbered.

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