Despite warnings from Warwick District Council, the doctor, who rented out a flat in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, illegally evicted their tenant and has now been convicted and sentenced under the Protection from Eviction Act.

The case was originally heard before Magistrates in 2021 but the doctor elected to have a jury trial before the Crown Court where she was found guilty. The sentencing hearing was held at Wolverhampton Crown Court on December 8, 2022 where the landlord was ordered to pay a fine of £2000, compensation of £3,600 to the tenant, council legal costs of £3000 and a victim surcharge of £190 totalling £8,790.

Amongst several comments on the circumstances of the case and the landlord's behaviour the judge, Recorder Brand KC, said that in her correspondence with the council, the landlord had "displayed an arrogance which was unattractive". The council had warned the landlord, "in clear terms in writing", about the tenant's rights and the correct legal procedure to follow in repossession cases after she had given the tenant 2 weeks to leave the property.

Recorder Brand went on - "You ejected (the tenant) from his home on a Friday evening because you felt you were entitled to have your way. I have suspicions that your text that Friday at 16.20 was deliberately timed to align with closure of Council offices. It is an aggravating factor that you evicted (the tenant) in the midst of the Covid pandemic. You kept his deposit and the rent he had paid in advance which he was entitled to. You had a trial, which of course you are entitled to but the consequences are that (the tenant) had to give evidence, during which his credibility was challenged. During that trial you repeatedly lied and made false accusations .... I have seen little or no sign of genuine remorse from you".

Cllr. Jan Matecki, the council's Portfolio Holder for Housing, said "The fact that this action [illegal eviction during the pandemic ban on evictions] was taken by an NHS doctor makes this case particularly shocking .... ".

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