15th March 2023
A MAN has been fined for damaging a protected wildlife site with a digger.
Nathan Lewis, 42, used the machine at the site of a former Ministry of Defence training centre in Caerwent, near Chepstow.
It is a breeding area for protected European species like badgers, bats, great crested newts, slow worms and grass snakes.
The land was bought by Lewis’ father-in-law with a plan, subject to an ecological survey, to build housing and a care home, Newport Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Emma Davies said PC Mark Powell from Gwent Police was alerted that the defendant was using the digger there on January 13.
“He was told to stop and he did show some remorse,” she told the court.
Magistrates heard that the owners of the land had been having problems with squatters and were worried about their “concerning and threatening behaviour”.
Lewis was using the machine to “discourage them from returning to the site”.
The defendant, of Itton Road, Itton, near Chepstow, pleaded guilty to damaging or destroying a breeding site for protected European species and protected flora and fauna.
He admitted the charge on the basis he did not know it was a protected area and this was accepted by the prosecution.
Lydia Williams representing Lewis said her client was a father-of-two who has a terminal brain tumour.
“He fully cooperated with the police and stopped when he was asked to,” she added.
The court was asked to give him credit for his guilty plea.
Lewis was ordered to pay £1,765 after being fined £1,200 and told to hand over a £480 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.
How much of that is true I wonder?????????There is far to much building going on cutting down trees etc is has to stop, there are loads of empty properties that could be done up instead of knocking them down, we will have no wild life if this goes on. Why does the human race think they have the upper hand??????To much greed these days.