A MAN locked in a ten-year feud with a rural council was last night ordered to pay the authority £900 by a judge.

Bernard Borman, from Leyburn, North Yorkshire, had launched a legal claim against Richmondshire District Council for £108 after claiming it breached his human rights.

He told a hearing at Darlington County Court that his website - which detailed earlier disputes between him and the authority - was shut down after the council sent letters to his Internet service provider (ISP).

The site refuted claims made by the authority that investigations into complaints made by Mr Borman had cost it £100,000 over eight years.

"I'm not a Victor Meldrew," he told the court. "I'm not a lunatic."

District Judge John Mainwaring-Taylor threw the case out, telling Mr Borman his argument was with the ISP, not the council.

He said: "I'm satisfied that Mr Borman-Schreiber does have, on the face of it, a case against the Internet service provider, with whom he presumably had a contractual relationship."

He ruled that the authority had acted properly in defending the action, despite submissions from Mr Borman to the contrary.

The judge was forced to stop speaking on several occasions because of interruptions from the claimant.

At one point he told Mr Borman: "This is my turn."

Mr Borman, who claims invalidity benefit because of a heart condition, offered to pay the council back £25 a month.

But the judge said he had 28 days to find the full amount or make an application to pay in instalments.

Mr Borman described the judgement as a disgrace, adding: "Freedom of speech has been wiped out."

A Richmondshire District Council spokesman said: "Naturally we are pleased that the episode is over and naturally we are pleased that the court has found in our favour."