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Three Men Convicted Over 4x4 Damage to Berwyn SSSI
The drivers caused damage to rare peat and blanket bog habitat and were ordered to pay more than £2,000 each.
- Three men—John Robinson, Michael Williams, and Joseph Hodgson—were convicted of criminal damage after driving 4x4 vehicles into the protected Berwyn SSSI in Wales on June 1, 2025, leaving deep tyre marks through rare peat and blanket bog habitat.
- The group broke a gate lock and tore down signs to access the privately owned Moel Fferna peak, but they were easily identified after posting footage of the "irreversible damage" on TikTok.
- Wrexham Magistrates ordered Robinson and Williams to pay compensation and serve two-month driving bans. Hodgson received a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order banning him from the entire Berwyn SSSI covering more than 254 sq km.
- Kirsty Roberts of Natural Resources Wales said the SSSI is protected because it supports fragile wildlife, explaining that deep ruts from off-roading alter water balance and degrade carbon storage for years.
- Natural Resources Wales urges countryside users to follow signs and stick to lawful routes, noting that Hodgson failed to attend court and did not cooperate with investigators, demonstrating ongoing enforcement challenges.
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Leaning Left0Leaning Right1Center3Last UpdatedBias Distribution75% Center
Bias Distribution
- 75% of the sources are Center
75% Center
C 75%
R 25%
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