A BARRY man who has been fighting the courts for nearly a quarter of a century is set to take his battle on further.

Ricky Canty, 52, of Raglan Close claims he is owed over £1 million in damages and court costs since 1978. But now, as his family faces bankruptcy, he is willing to take to the rooftops again to force the courts to take notice.

He told the News: "My family's case goes back to 1978, when, we believe, we were the victims of negligence. And through repeated legal blunders, we are now at risk of losing everything we owe, including our house. If they try, I'll sit on my house - literally."

The controversial figure has made the headlines several times over the years, most notably when he dressed in judge's robes and wig and climbed on top of the Cardiff courts.

He added: "That was just meant to be a bit of a stunt. I was only up there for about an hour and a half, but it seemed as though they had called everyone from the police, fire and ambulance to the Army, Navy and Royal Marines to talk me down. But I did spent 18 months outside the courts with placards to make sure people know why I'm here. And if it's necessary, I'll do it again."

Ricky has spent over 30,000 hours studying the law to represent himself in the courts, but he says judges never take him seriously: "Sometimes, I feel I'm treated as an up-start. But I've been reading law books since the mid-1990s, and I know what I'm talking about."

On Friday, June 14, Ricky will re-appear in the Cardiff County Court to apply for his bankruptcy writ to be set aside. He added: "Over the years, my family have suffered. But I won't give up the fight until I get what we rightly deserve."