Largest ever fine for wildlife crime handed down by court after bat roost destroyed

All species of bat are protected by law

A soprano pipistrelle bat (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A house-building firm has been handed a £600,000 fine, the largest ever issued by a court for wildlife crime, after it carried out demolition work at a site known to be inhabited by protected bats.

Bellway Homes pleaded guilty to damaging or destroying a breeding site or resting place in southeast London in 2018. Soprano pipistrelle bats had been documented there the previous year, said police.

The site was located in Artillery Place, Greenwich, and demolition work took place between 17 March and 17 August 2018.

The company was fined £600,000 and ordered to pay costs of £30,000, and also agreed to make a £20,000 donation to the Bat Conservation Trust.

The Metropolitan Police said the fine was the largest ever issued by a court in relation to a wildlife crime, and Inspector David Hawtin praised officers Sergeant Simon Henderson and Police Constable Giles Balestrini for their roles in the complex investigation.

He said: “With the expert assistance of colleagues from specialist units within the Met, the officers constructed evidence to prove that the company had indeed committed an offence by carrying out work at a site where bats were known to inhabit.

“Bellway Homes has admitted responsibility for this and I hope it reinforces the message that this legislation is there for a reason and should be adhered to.”

The firm admitted to damaging or destroying a breeding site or resting place of a wild animal of a European protected species at Woolwich Crown Court on Tuesday.

It had been notified in planning documents that they would first need to obtain the appropriate mitigation and a Natural England European Protected Species licence.

This article was amended on December 16, 2020, to remove an inconsistency regarding the amount of the fine levied.