Landowner fined over £78,000 for felling ancient trees

A landowner from South Wales has been fined almost £80,000 under a confiscation order by Swansea Crown Court for illegally felling more than 8ha of native woodland.

The trees, which were within the Gower area of outstanding natural beauty, near Swansea, were felled by Thomas Jeffrey Lane, 74, from Cartersford, Gower, between April 2019 and September 2020, without the appropriate licence.

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After a long court battle with Natural Resources Wales (NRW), Mr Lane was ordered to pay £78,615 by the court on 31 March 2025.

Back in June 2024, the Crown Court made a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act against Mr Lane, and he was then ordered to pay £11,280, based on the Court’s assessment of his available assets at that time.

However, in December 2024, NRW became aware that Mr Lane was about to come into additional assets from the sale of property.

Acting on this information, NRW made an application to the Crown Court to increase the amount that Mr Lane must pay under the original confiscation order, which he didn’t oppose.

NRW response

NRW’s forest regulation and tree health team leader, Callum Stone, said: “Woodland loss is a significant threat to habitats and biodiversity, especially in the face of the climate and nature emergency.

“These cases send a clear message that illegal felling will not be tolerated.”

He added that NRW was committed to using the confiscation regime to ensure that convicted defendants do not keep any financial benefit from the environmental crimes they have committed.