The man behind those once bright lights in the Outer Battery area of St. John’s has won what his lawyer predicts will be the first of several victories in the courts.

Bob Buckingham represents Colin Way on matters before both the Supreme and provincial courts.

Yesterday, a four-year property dispute ended in Way’s favour when the person who initiated the suit withdrew the action.

Buckingham says while that had nothing to do with the bright lights, he singled out some for piling on to further their own agendas.

“Out of that crowd of people, there’s a couple of, you know, septuagenarian hippies over there who own Airbnbs that have moved in there and set up a clique, and are upset with my client buying a piece of property, and then wanted to keep my client out,” Buckingham says.

Buckingham was also critical of media coverage around the dispute, saying reporters went for the “low-hanging fruit” instead of digging into the deeper history.

Way still faces charges of interfering with property and extortion regarding his once bright lights, which have been turned off since late January.

The case will be called again in provincial court for election and pleas on May 17.