Criminal trespassing does not preclude adverse possession

Contrary to the Land Registry’s originally expressed opinion, it seems that the criminal offence of squatting in a residential building (under section 144(1) of the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment of Offenders Act 2012) does not preclude the offending period of occupation being taken into account in an adverse possession claim. This is according to Mr Justice Ouseley in a well-reasoned decision in Best v The Chief Land Registrar & Anor [2014] EWHC 1370 (Admin).