A landowner who destroyed trees in established woodland on his property without permission will have to pay more than £3,000 after admitting the offence.

John Richards, aged 56, of Goonbarn Cottage, Trendeal Farm, Summercourt, Newquay admitted felling a growing tree without a licence when he appeared via videolink at Truro Magistrates' Court last week.

He was fined £3,000, ordered to pay a surcharge of £190 and crown prosecution costs of £85 for digging up trees without a licence issued by the appropriate forestry authority between October 1, 2020 and March 1, 2021.

The prosecution told magistrates that on March 22, 2021 an officer of the Woodland Trust visited the site following a report in October 2020 that there had been the illegal felling of mature trees in three areas of woodland near St Newlyn East.

There they found people working with an excavator and piles of dug up trees in breach of regulations. There were a variety of trees removed in a long established woodland area.

At the time Richards said he thought he had done nothing wrong. He told them the trees would be replaced once he had finished clearing.

When an officer returned on March 25 to talk to Richards, he was described as being "unpleasant". The Forestry Commission then reported Richards because they felt what he was doing "had had a significant effect on the environment" following the destruction of 103 cubic metres of trees.

Richards defence solicitor said Richards actions were not for financial gain as all the trees were burnt and not sold and the destroyed trees replaced.

Richards guilty plea was taken into account during the sentence.