Famous protester Ricky dies on roof at age 74

A well-known Cardiff protester who protested in the city center for almost two decades has died. Ricky Canty campaigned on the pavement outside Cardiff’s Civil and Family Justice Center from Monday to Friday after losing a legal battle to keep his former family home in Barry.

The 74-year-old’s death was announced earlier this month and his funeral will take place on December 6 in Barry. The pensioner’s initial protests on Barry’s rooftops made headlines in the UK and he became known as “Ricky on the Roof” until he was forced to leave.

Ricky claimed the bankruptcy proceedings he and his mother Rita were involved in were fraudulent after they lost their battle to keep the former family home in Radlan Close, Barry. He climbed onto the roof of the house for the first time on April 19, 2006, shortly before bailiffs arrived to evict him. His protest, which lasted 26 months, centered on a dispute over ownership of the house and land.

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Friends and family helped him stay in a makeshift tent on the roof, providing him with food and drinks delivered in buckets. He was arrested in the spring of 2007 for contempt of court and served three months in prison.

While he was in prison the house was sold at auction for £92,000. He was released on June 4, 2007, and a week later he was back on the roof. He remained there until he was allegedly attacked and beaten in October 2008.

At the time, his lawyer David Elias KC claimed in court that the house had been purchased by property developers who “dragged him down, leaving him injured, bleeding and tied up with ropes and ties.” Barry magistrates jailed him for 21 days in February 2018 for failing to pay £411.44 council tax on the house. He then moved his protest in front of the Law Center to Park Street. He told WalesOnline in 2018: “I’ll be here until the day I die if I don’t get justice, signs or no signs.”

Canty added: “It’s absolutely ridiculous. I get along well with the guards there, I get along with everyone. Every citizen has the right to use a public building. All I want is an honest hearing, something I’ve been asking for for 17 years.”

He had not been seen outside of court in recent years and this week it was announced that he had died on November 7. A notice about Mr Canty’s death said: “The family would like to announce the sad passing of Rick (also known as Rooftop Rick). ) formerly of Pencoedtre Road, Barry, who died at home. Beloved brother of Penny and Danny, dear uncle of Michele and Lois. “Rick will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.”