October 11, 2011
A disgruntled homeowner who blamed his poor TV signal on a neighbour’s nearby trees has been fined after felling the offending shrubbery without permission.
Andrew Partridge hacked down 11 of his neighbour's trees and damaged a further 21 because he thought they were interfering with his TV’s reception. He has since been ordered to pay his neighbour £2,500 in compensation.
The allegedly offensive 30-foot high Scots pine trees were growing on agricultural land backing on to Mr Partridge’s home and his fine could increase if the landowner decides to launch a civil action against the 55-year-old.
Mr Partridge’s pruning brought about more than £17,000 worth of damage, and he was given 80 hours community service by Norwich Crown Court when it was revealed he had been warned several times to stop cutting back the trees
“The compensation covers some of the damage but not the loss of amenity,” said the landowner. “We will have to go back to our lawyers and see if it is worth chasing.
'We would like to get on and replant this autumn so the screen has a chance of growing back as quickly as possible.”
Mr Partridge argued that he felled the trees for the benefit of his neighbours, but Judge Alasdair Darroch to him he “had no right” to do what he did.
“It was a great pity you chose to defend this action. You had absolutely no defence and no business to cut down the trees,” added the judge.
