A green-fingered Staffordshire man says he fears losing his home after he was handed fines and costs totalling £2,500 for pruning a tree in his front garden which had a preservation order placed on it.
Rickey Reaney, of Silver Fir Close, Hednesford, says he has been left sick with worry after being hit with a £1,500 fine and £1,000 court costs. Mr Reaney, aged 44, lopped about 5ft off the the semi-mature cherry blossom tree in January and was prosecuted at Stafford Crown Court.
He faced a charge for wilful damage in a way likely to destroy the tree.
Mr Reaney elected to have his case heard in crown court rather than magistrates court but subsequently changed his plea and admitted knowledge of the preservation order.
Mr Reaney said: “I can’t sleep through the worry this has given to both myself and my wife. I could lose my home.
“I think it is disgusting how much I have had to pay in fines and court costs. I did take around five foot off the tree but it is growing back again very quickly. I think they have treated me very harshly.”
Councillor Tony Williams, Cannock Chase Council’s environment leader said: “Tree Preservation Orders exist for a reason, namely to protect mature trees and our natural environment.
“It is no excuse for a resident to say they do not know about an existing order as this should be made known when a property is bought. In law ignorance of a TPO is no defence. Anyone who is not sure if a TPO exists on their property should contact the council before carrying out any work.
“Where a resident knows there is a TPO and chooses to ignore it, as in this case, it shows a wilful disregard of the law. Our officers will not hesitate to pursue such cases through the courts.”
4 Comments
If it doesn’t destroy the tree then the “authorities” are dead wrong. Will they return Mr. Reaney’s money with interest and an aplology? Or better still let Mr. Reaney pay up if they’re proved right and the tree dies because of it.
So he did know about the preservation order before he got his trimmer out? And we should give him sympathy?
Also £2500 does not seem an amount to lose your home over! It would cost more than that to sell!
Another whinger who knew full well he was breaking the law but put two fingers up to it.
Has he learned his lesson?
Nope.
He just whinges how hard done by he is.
Pathetic.
Its a Cherry Tree for goodness sake hardly anything worth looking at,you cant eat the fruit of it,even the bird ignore them.
If they want to preserve it then the council should assume responsiblity for the tree but they wont they leave that to the owner of all properties.
Pathetic… in Britain you get fined for tree pruning yet you only get a £100 fine for starving a dog to death!