The following news story from “Sutton Voice” has been kindly forwarded to us …

A 40-year-old man has been convicted and sentenced for damaging a number of trees next to his property. Xhavit Krasniqi, of Coleridge Avenue, Sutton, had arranged for unqualified workers to carry out lopping and topping of six trees from the neighbouring Sutton Council-owned Westmead Allotments.

Officers from Sutton’s Safer Parks Team were called to the scene and found damage to the trees and branch debris on the ground on Thursday, 13 February 2014. Sutton Council sought a statement of loss for the total damage, which was put at £23,759 and for cleaning up the debris, which came to £3,250.

Close liaison between Sutton Council and the Sutton Safer Parks Police Team resulted in the case being dealt with as a criminal matter and Krasniqi was summonsed to attend court. At Croydon Magistrates’ Court in August 2014, Krasniqi pleaded not guilty to criminal damage. The case was referred to Crown Court for trial.

At Croydon Crown Court on Friday, 8 May 2015 Mr. Krasniqiwas found guilty of two counts of causing criminal damage to a total of six trees after a three-day trial. He was found guilty by a majority 11-1 verdict on both counts. Krasniqi was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid community work and to pay £3,500 Crown Prosecution Service costs; £60 victim surcharge and £4,810 compensation to Sutton Council – making a total of £8,370.

The money in compensation to Sutton Council will be used to prune the old trees properly and to plant new trees. The Judge told Krasniqi that he was responsible for the trees being cut down which had put his swimming pool in the shade. The Judge also spoke about the loss of these established trees to the local community. PC Fash Mohammadi said: “This was great team work between Sutton’s Safer Parks Police Team and the London Borough of Sutton to bring this person to trial and face justice for what he had done.”

Carshalton Central ward Cllr Jill Whitehead, Chair of Sutton Council’s Environment and Neighbourhood Committee, said: “In Sutton, we pride ourselves in being both a green and fair borough, so it is not acceptable for residents to put their own interests over those of the borough as a whole. We do not tolerate anyone damaging trees on council land and I am pleased that we have worked together with the police successfully on this matter.”