STORY
A Leicestershire landowner has been ordered to pay what the Forestry Commission said is the highest ever fine imposed by a court in England for illegal tree felling. Motor Fuel Ltd was told to pay a total of £268,751 after trees were unlawfully cut down beside a petrol station in 2019, in what the authorities said was a pre-emptive move linked to a future development proposal.
The case was heard at Leicester Magistrates’ Court on 28 January 2026, where the company pleaded guilty to failing to comply with an enforcement notice served after the unlawful felling of mixed broadleaf woodland. The court also ordered the landowner to maintain the replanted trees for 10 years, with the warning that failure to comply with the restocking order could lead to contempt of court proceedings, further financial penalties or even a custodial sentence.
The Forestry Commission said the prosecution showed how seriously illegal felling is treated, arguing that unauthorised tree loss causes wider harm to both nature and the climate. Of the total amount due, £266,666 was the fine itself, with the rest made up of costs and a surcharge, and the full sum was ordered to be paid within 28 days.