Chris Judd illegally cleared land due to snake fears: court
Chris Judd has become the latest high-profile landowner to land in court after butting heads with Mornington Peninsula’s council, with the AFL legend’s troubles starting over a fear of snakes.
South East
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Chris Judd’s company has been heavily fined for illegally clearing land at his Arthurs Seat holiday home because he was scared of snakes and bushfires.
Three Zebras, of which Judd is sole director, ripped out 3000sq m of preserved vegetation alongside a protected creek and dam in a Green Wedge zone.
Dromana Magistrates’ Court heard today Judd, 36, bought the Wilsons Rd property in 2016 as a rural haven for his family and friends to enjoy.
In 2018 Mornington Peninsula Shire received a complaint and went to inspect the site.
They found 3500sq m of vegetation had been removed and 11 piles of scrub and grasses either burnt or ready to be burnt.
He was only allowed to remove 500sq m as a bushfire buffer.
The council laid 20 charges against the company and against Judd.
All the charges against Judd were dropped at an earlier hearing in May while the company pleaded guilty to four illegal removal of vegetation charges today.
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Shire prosecutor Luke English said the council believed the clearance was designed to “create a suburban environment” and an “area for the kids to run around”.
He said there needed to be a high level of general deterrence to try and protect the community from illegal clearing of protected vegetation on such a large scale in overlay zones.
Defence lawyer Samuel Bird said Judd had asked his maintenance man in a short and general telephone conversation to “clean up the property” and he accepted responsibility for what had happened.
He said Judd had two specific intentions, to make it safe for fire purposes, and make the area more “visible for snake sightings”.
He tendered references and said the company had a “social conscience” that did charity work behind the scenes.
Magistrate Gerard Lethbridge said the offences were serious and had a significant impact on the environment.
He said the vegetation destruction was due to “careless and unspecific” directions given by Judd to a contractor.
“General deterrence must loom large,” Mr Lethbridge said.
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“But I accept it was not for financial gain, rather to create an area not far from the house and (your) impressive references speak glowingly.”
Three Zebras Pty Ltd was fined $40,000 and ordered to pay $6500 in council costs. No conviction was recorded.
Judd’s fine comes after trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox was last week fined $20,000 for illegally ripping up beachside vegetation and replacing it with a massive lawn.