Liverpool man banned from protected site after TikTok off-roading footage

A 23-year-old Liverpool man, Joseph Hodgson, has been banned from entering the Berwyn Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for three years following a conviction for causing serious environmental damage.

On June 1, 2025, a convoy of seven 4x4 vehicles traveled from Liverpool to Denbighshire, driving over 3km of privately owned land and across sensitive peat and blanket bog habitats near Moel Fferna. Natural Resources Wales (NRW) investigators used TikTok videos and images posted by the group to identify the participants and place them at the scene. The footage showed deep tire tracks and vehicles becoming stuck, which caused further damage when they were towed free.

Hodgson was found guilty of criminal damage in his absence after failing to attend court. He was ordered to pay over £2,000 in compensation and costs. The court also issued him a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), noting that the offenses occurred while he was already under a community order for similar countryside offenses. Two other men from Liverpool, John Robinson and Michael Williams, were also convicted, receiving fines and two-month driving disqualifications.