A FARMER is taking legal action against North Yorkshire Police and the Police and Crime Commissioner over claims of defamation.

Bill Edwards and his mother confronted burglars at a farm near Scarborough in August 2012, driving their Transit van at them.

Mr Edwards, now 22, admitted firing his legally-licensed shotgun at the van in self defence, and no legal action was taken against him, but he claims Julia Mulligan made defamatory comments about him in a radio interview in 2013.

He has launched action against Mrs Mulligan and North Yorkshire Police, who he claims gave incorrect information to the Commissioner ahead of the interview.

Legal papers seen by The Press call for damages of £15,000 to £50,000 to compensate for damage to his character by comments during the interview, which cannot be printed.

Solicitor Andrew Gray said Mr Edwards had been “ostracised within the local farming community” and “has had serious difficulty securing work” since the interview.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman and Mrs Mulligan said ongoing legal proceedings made it inappropriate for them to comment.

Mrs Mulligan added: “We need to let this case follow due process and I have every confidence that it will come to an appropriate outcome.

The case will go before the High Court in Leeds next year.