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A man who filmed himself damaging an ancient artwork up to 4,500-years-old has been ordered to pay for its restoration in the first prosecution of its kind in Wales.

Julian Baker, 52, admitted deliberately exposing and damaging the Bronze Age monument believed to date back as far as 2500BC.

Heritage officials said Baker – who filmed himself and uploaded footage to Facebook – ruined part of the artwork beyond repair and it is now “lost forever”.

Baker was ordered to pay more than £4,000 compensation for disturbing the ancient cairn field and damaging the rock art – the first ever prosecution in Wales under the section of Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Act.

The buried monument, at Mynydd Eglwysilan, is two large sandstones with “cup marks” cut into their upper surfaces dating back to the Bronze Age.

Experts were puzzled at the “enigmatic” meaning of the cup mark but believe the stones “may have acted as route markers or demarcated territorial boundaries.”

Baker, who lives near the site, filmed himself excavating the monument and separated the rock art panel from its stone.

The charges state Baker “executed unauthorised work affecting a scheduled monument” in January of this year.

It added that he “executed works, namely disturbed the ground exposing an ancient monument.”

The second charge said Baker acted to “destroy or damage an ancient protected monument,” on the same date.

Baker, of Graig y Fedw, Abertridwr, appeared at Newport Magistrates’ Court on August 21, where he was ordered to pay £4,400 compensation and given a suspended sentence. He declined to comment after the case.

Gwent Police’s rural crime team said: “The defendant in this case damaged legally protected prehistoric rock art, and was given a four-month custodial sentence suspended for two years.

“They were also ordered to pay compensation of £4,400 for restoration.

“The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Act protects the archaeological heritage of Wales, England, and Scotland – making damage to and metal detecting on scheduled monuments a criminal offence.

“A scheduled monument is an important archaeological site or historic building that is protected against unauthorised change.”

A spokesperson for Welsh Government heritage body Cadw said: “This damage is a serious incident at a rare class of prehistoric monument in Wales.

“Significant archaeological information has been lost forever, and although some evidence may remain, the significance and value of the part of the monument damaged has been significantly diminished.”

The spokesperson welcomed the court’s decision and continued: “The custodial sentence and fine imposed reflect the seriousness of this offence.

“Our scheduled monuments and the archaeological structures, deposits and artefacts they contain are very fragile and vulnerable. They are a finite resource that are sensitive to change.

“Once damaged or destroyed, they and the archaeological data within have been lost forever and cannot be replaced.

“Heritage crime, particularly reckless damage, is a serious matter which can cause irreparable damage.”