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Author's Instagram Oops: Bat Roosts Destroyed
8 Sep
Summary
- Author convicted of destroying bat roosts due to Instagram posts.
- Jonathan Wedge bought and converted a Grade II-listed church.
- He was fined £1,200 and ordered to pay £500 compensation.
A children's author, Jonathan Wedge, has been found guilty of destroying bat roosts, with his own social media activity inadvertently leading to his conviction. Wedge purchased the Grade II-listed Church of St Thomas in East Orchard, Dorset, in 2022, intending to transform it into a family home.
He documented the extensive conversion process on Instagram. However, posts revealed construction had begun in December 2023 without the necessary precautions for protected bat species. The conversion plan had stipulated a biodiversity plan, including a bat loft and exclusion methods between April and October, to avoid disturbing bats during hibernation.
Wedge pleaded guilty to four charges related to damaging or destroying roosts for different bat species. He was subsequently fined £1,200 and ordered to pay £500 in compensation to the Bat Conservation Trust. Bournemouth Crown Court heard that bat lofts were introduced later in 2024, and surveys confirmed the presence of four bat species within them.
