Richard Burton and Amanda Hutton's dream of renovating a dilapidated Welsh farmhouse turned into a nightmare when neighbours Francis and Cassie Collins launched a campaign of terror involving weapons, petrol bombs, and stalking. The couple, who moved into Fox Hill in Pembrokeshire in January 2018, initially befriended the Collinses, but the relationship soured after a land deal fell through.
From Friendship to Fear
The Collinses bought adjacent land in 2018, and the couples initially socialized. However, after Francis Collins refused to sell two paddocks to the Huttons, the harassment began. Messages changed, featuring images of crossbows, machetes, and a baseball bat. The Collinses parked their ATV in the Huttons' garden and cut off their water supply by damaging a pipe.
Amanda Hutton described the shift: "The messages changed. Suddenly, there were images of weapons, crossbows, machetes…" The Collinses erected a two-metre-high palisade security fence topped with spikes, and strung up black silage plastic that rattled in the wind, creating constant noise.
Escalation to Violence
In May 2020, Francis Collins fired ball bearings from a crossbow at the Huttons' bus, shattering windows. Police collected the ball bearings but found no DNA. The next attack involved three petrol bombs thrown at the bus, one of which exploded, scorching the ground and blistering the paint. Richard Burton said, "He hadn't been trying to scare us. He'd been trying to kill us."
The Huttons had moved into the house days earlier, which likely saved their lives. The petrol bombs landed feet from the fuel tank and gas pipe.
Legal Proceedings and Aftermath
Francis Collins was charged with arson, possession of a firearm without a certificate, possession of ammunition without a certificate, sending electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety, stalking involving fear of violence, sending a threatening message, and possession of a controlled drug (amphetamine). He had sent thousands of threatening messages, including references to Amanda's daughter Grace.
However, in a plea deal, Collins pleaded guilty to malicious communications and the petrol bomb incidents. The judge released him immediately, considering the seven months he had already served on remand sufficient. The Huttons were denied compensation as they were not physically injured. Richard Burton said, "That's not justice. That's paperwork."
Tragic End
On 11 September 2021, police informed the Huttons that the Collinses had died in a double suicide at their home in Devon. Their deaths were ruled a double suicide. The Huttons were left with unanswered questions and lasting trauma. Amanda Hutton said, "Maybe now the land can heal." Richard Burton added, "Maybe we all can."
