A millionaire property tycoon has been told he can’t have his shotgun and rifle licences returned because he is “eccentric”.

Fergus Wilson, 66, lost the right to keep the 10 weapons at his home in Long Lane, Boughton Monchelsea after a bust-up with a Folkestone estate agent.

Police carried out an investigation and revoked the licences after officers went to one of the tycoon’s homes, where the guns were kept, and found he had moved.

Inside the property they found nearly 1,000 rounds of rifle ammunition which had been bought in August 1998.

Wilson was convicted of assaulting Daniel Wells, 31, in an argument over a boiler and was later given a restraining order after an argument with an energy company.

Now a judge and two magistrates have rejected Wilson’s appeal against a decision by Kent’s chief constable not to grant new licences.

Emmaline Lambert, for the chief constable, said Wilson had applied for the renewal in August 2013.

A firearms enquiry officer went to the address on the licence, The Limes in Boughton but there was no answer.

Later the property magnate told him he no longer lived there but had moved to a nearby address a year earlier.

“That is in clear breach of the licence because he had failed to notify his change of address. "He said an employee lived at The Limes. He had also failed to sign the certificate.

The officer ordered Wilson to surrender the licences pending the court case and took away keys to the gun cabinet until the weapons and the 1,000 rounds of ammunition could be safely taken away.

But when two police experts returned to The Limes – and despite the ammunition being under lock and key – there were 41 rounds missing, she said.

She added: "Also in November 2014 he had been made subject to a year-long restraining order for making “distressing communications” to Eon Energy.”

The prosecution offered no evidence and Wilson was formally acquitted of the charge – but magistrates still imposed an order prohibiting him from harassing the company.

Wilson – who represented himself at the appeal hearing – claimed he needed the rifle to kill foxes on his land.

Judge Nigel Van Der Bijl told him he had tried to belittle the assault on his victim.

“This was clearly a serious offence and the belittling showed, in a variety of ways, your misunderstanding of the real importance of what he did.”

The judge added that the 16 year old ammunition had revealed “ little need for him to have the rifle and shotguns as they were totally unnecessary”.

He added: “The possession of a shotgun licence or rifle certificate is not a human right, it is a privilege.

“The possession of a shotgun licence or rifle certificate is not a human right, it is a privilege" - Judge Van Der Bijl

“The police have a duty to ensure people who show themselves to be eccentric and may lack judgement do not hold firearm certificates.”

He said the fact that a court had issued a restraining order on Wilson “shows he has an inability to control himself.”

The judge continued: “We are concerned if he has guns or rifles it might lead to a terrible accident. He does indeed present a danger.”

After ordering him to pay the £2,500 hearing costs, the judge gave Wilson advice on how to tackle problems caused by foxed without the use of a weapon.

Following the case Wilson quipped to officers that he would have to sell the weapons to pay the costs order.