Two men prosecuted over dumping controlled waste
Two men from a Derbyshire company who illegally dumped trade waste and silt into drains near Bede Park in Leicester have been ordered to pay fines and costs of over £13,000.
Leicester Crown Court heard how Martin Wood and Jeremy Swift, of Derbyshire-based Swift Wood Site Services, had repeatedly tipped waste into surface water drains in Bede Island Road, off Western Boulevard, instead of taking the waste to a registered site.
The court was told Swift had been the company director, and Wood the driver of the sweeper truck involved in 18 separate offences between October and November 2014.
Both men pleaded guilty to the flytipping offences. The firm is based at Springwell Park Drive, Inkersall, Chesterfield.
Swift, aged 49, who also gave his address as Springwell Park Drive, was fined a total of £4,500, with costs of £3,000. The court heard he had previous convictions from pleading guilty to 10 similar offences in 2007.
Wood, aged 28, of Acton Road, Long Eaton, Nottinghamshire, was fined £2,700 with costs of £3,000.
The court also ordered a £500 reward to be given to a local witness who reported the incidents to the authorities. She had seen the truck coming to Bede Island Road and repeatedly tipping silt into the drains, which are meant to channel rainwater into the River Soar.
The drains became heavily silted up and needed to be professionally cleared as a result.
Leicester assistant city mayor for neighbourhood services, Cllr Kirk Master said: “Trade waste such as this needs to be disposed of in a controlled way, and this firm clearly hoped to avoid paying to do so by pouring into surface water drains, and ultimately, into the River Soar.
“Flytipping of controlled waste like this is a huge drain on council finances, and is also a blight on local neighbourhoods, which can have a big impact on people’s lives.
“Businesses which dump controlled waste illegally also undermine reputable waste disposal firms.
“Gathering evidence in cases like this is vital and we are very grateful for the witness statements which have helped us take action in this case.”
