A property developer has been ordered to pay over £24,000 after he chopped down more than 200 trees without a licence.

Paul Bail, of Newport, did not turn up to his sentencing at Newport Magistrates Court yesterday but the judge fined him  in his absence - the maximum fine he could give.

Bail was also told to pay £2,044 in costs and a £120 victim surcharge.

Bail had instructed to clear 207 trees across 1.2 acres of land likened to a "small forest" last November.

But he did not have planning permission to redevelop the land.

Yesterday it was Bail's turn to be sentenced.

He was prosecuted by Natural Resources Wales and charged with felling growing timber without a licence issued by the appropriate forestry authority.

He had been found guilty in his absence at a hearing at Newport Magistrates Court on August 7 when he failed to turn up.

People are allowed to fell trees without a licence providing the timber amounts to around five cubic metres but the amount felled under Bail's instruction was more than 25 times the size at 109 cubic metres.

District Judge Martin Brown said the court had received a letter from  solicitors claiming was unaware a licence was needed.

Judge Brown said: "This man is a company director of many many companies, many being associated with the building industry and he claims he doesn't know he can't fell trees without a licence.

Judge Brown said it seemed likely Bail felled the trees ahead of plans to build on the site "unless he's got a severe case of hay fever and can't be around trees".

Mohammed Yakub, prosecuting on behalf of Natural Resources Wales, said: "It will take years and years to restock those trees".