A homeless man has been denied the right to appeal a decision that the land he is squatting on can be repossessed.

Leo Fieran, 55, claims he has been living on the land at the end of Camley Street near St Pancras station continuously since 2007, having arrived in the UK from Romania three years before.

In August 2022, a judge made a possession order in favour of Camden Council and against Mr Fieran, who represented himself in court.

The authority enforced an eviction notice on Mr Fieran seven months later, but he has since returned to live at the site.

At Central London County Court today (January 26), Mr Fieran sought an extension of time for permission to appeal the order.

The court heard that Mr Fieran originally filed an appeal – which much usually be lodged within 21 days – over four months late.

He argued in court that he decided to wait to receive a written copy of the judgement in the case before lodging an appeal due to the fact English is his second language.

But His Honour Judge Freeland KC said that despite having “sympathy” for Mr Fieran, the 55-year-old had confirmed he understood the initial judge’s order, so there was “no good reason” for the delay in lodging an appeal.

The judge also ruled that even if the extension of time was allowed, there was no real prospect of successfully appealing the possession order, and there was no other compelling reason why permission should be granted.

In practical terms, the decision means that Mr Fieran has no more legal routes to challenge the August 2022 ruling in favour of Camden Council.

He may still continue with appealing a second possession order that was made at the end of last year.

More to follow.