Bat crime conviction in Wales

On Thursday 17^th October 2013 Steve Evans a Director of Walnut Grove Homes of Abernant, Mountain Ash appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court where he pleaded guilt to two charges, one of destroying a known pipistrelle roost and another of failing to comply with the conditions of an EPS licence issued by the Welsh Government.

He was fined £250 on each charge ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £25.

The circumstances are that work was undertaken on a school in Aberdare. Prior to the work an ecological survey was undertaken which revealed the presence of a roost used by common and soprano pipistrelles. An EPS licence was sought and issued but the work was undertaken without regard to the conditions of the licence.

BCT worked closely with South Wales Police on this case and we would like to thank the investigating officer PC Mark Goulding for the work he undertook. We provided a conservation impact statement for the information of CPS and the courts and at our suggestion it was also established and made known to the courts that costs of between £2500 and £3000 would have been incurred had the conditions of the licence been complied with.