Overview

• Newport Crown Court upheld Claire Rands’ conviction and ordered a £16,000 fine plus £100,000 in prosecution costs, payable within 12 months.
• Judge Celia Hughes sentenced on the basis that Rands ‘caused or permitted’ the destruction, rejecting arguments that this offence does not apply in Wales.
• Legal experts from Tree Law UK said the ruling provides clarity on Welsh TPO offences ahead of the expected Planning (Wales) Bill in 2026/27.
• The 100-year-old lime tree, protected by a Tree Preservation Order, was removed in 2012 after grass fires nearby; Rands said she believed it posed a hazard.
• The case was brought years after a council ecologist noticed the missing tree; her husband was cleared, and council experts estimated the removal increased the property’s value by at least £50,000.