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YouTuber Danny Hyde being sued by landlord Fergus Wilson stands by video

14:30, 17 January 2018

updated: 14:47, 17 January 2018

A YouTuber has said he stands by everything he said in a video about controversial landlord Fergus Wilson, who is now suing him.

Danny Hyde, of the YoutTube channel Danny Hyde TV, is facing legal action after a video he made in March last year reacting to a policy banning ‘coloureds’ implemented by Mr Fergus Wilson.

His video, which has several derogatory terms in it, concludes by suggesting ‘Mr Wilson is coming across as racist.’

YouTuber Danny Hyde
YouTuber Danny Hyde

Mr Wilson, of Boughton Monchelsea, says the offensive words are what has outraged him the most.

He has always said the move to ban ‘coloureds’ from letting his homes was because of the smell of curry and has always denied he was a racist.

But the policy was found to be unlawful by Maidstone County Court in November.

Mr Hyde, a 29-year-old painter from Glastonbury, Somerset first heard from Mr Wilson in a letter in the same month asking if he was the Danny Hyde from the video.

The YouTuber, whose channel has around 1,200 subscribers, said: “I thought the first letter was weird because my channel is only small.

“Because I know nothing about law I didn’t know if he had a case but since it’s been in the news I have had a lot of support and I feel calmer.”

Fergus Wilson
Fergus Wilson

Mr Wilson aims to sue Mr Hyde for £10,000 for what he says are “grossly offensive” comments that breach the malicious communications act 1988.

Mr Hyde said: “I’m self employed and I make enough money to keep myself alive and ticking so I can do my YouTube channel.”

“I don’t have a lot of money so the thought of being threatened with £10,000 is quite scary. I don’t make that in a year or even two years.”

“He wants to bankrupt me.”

Mr Hyde believes the landlord is being over sensitive.

“My emotions were strong that day because I was angry with what I saw. We’re all big men here, we should be able to handle a bit of name calling.”

“Being a YouTuber I get a lot of hate but I just roll with it and laugh at it.”

“I stand by everything I said.”

Since the case went public, the number of times the video has been viewed has tripled.

“I stand by everything I said" - Danny Hyde

“Ironically, overnight I have got about 30 new subscribers and the video has got one thousand more views,” he added.

Sam Percival, a friend of Mr Hyde, has set up a Crowdfunder page to help raise money for legal fees which received pledges of over £250 pounds in less than 24 hours after being created. A target of £10,000 has been set.

The 29-year-old musician said: "Danny seemed to be picking up a little bit of steam until he got this letter through the door.

"So I thought I would boost him up a bit and just help a brother out."

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