In a statement yesterday (20 December), the EA said Paul Riina-Moretti, 46, of Sneinton Dale, Nottingham, received a 10-month custodial sentence and was disqualified as a director for seven years for running the sites.
He had previously admitted three offences of operating a waste facility without an Environmental permit, the EA said.
Also sentenced at the same hearing, according to the EA, was Paul Billingham, 55, of Wolverhampton Road West, Willenhall, who admitted depositing waste at the three sites. He received a six-month custodial sentence which was suspended for 18 months and ordered to do 200 hours unpaid work.
Fire
The court heard that a major fire broke out at the biggest site, Oakham Farm, Forest Lane, near Walesby in north Nottinghamshire, which took the Fire Service over a month to put out in the autumn of 2016.
The other sites were at Hathernware Industrial Estate, Rempstone Road, Normanton-on-the-Soar, and Horse Leys Farm, Melton Road, Burton on the Wolds.
Investigation
An investigation by the Environment Agency discovered that Mr Riina-Moretti was “operating the three sites illegally without an Environmental Permit”.
Waste was deposited in “vast quantities” and there was “no real plan as to how it was going to be processed”.
A fire broke out at the site which “completely destroyed the two poultry units which resulted in the landowner incurring clear up costs of £478,000”.
Deposits
The Environment Agency said its officers also gained CCTV pictures from the farm which showed Mr Billingham to be a frequent visitor from the end of August 2016 into September.
Footage showed Mr Billingham driving an articulated lorry and trailer to deposit waste at the site on 13 occasions, the statement said.
At Hathernware Industrial Estate, Environment Agency officers also said they received complaints about waste being dumped.
They discovered that some 100 black polythene wrapped bales had been stored at the front of the warehouse, the statement added. Similar baled waste was stored at Horse Leys Farm.
‘Deterrent’
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We welcome these sentences which should act as a deterrent to others who are considering flouting the law.
“These sites posed a significant environmental threat due to the high risk of fire and potentially significant impact to local communities and amenities.
“As a regulator, the Environment Agency will not hesitate to pursue individuals and companies that fail to meet its obligations to the environment.
“The conditions of an environmental permit are designed to protect people and the environment.
“Failure to comply with these legal requirements is a serious offence that can damage the environment, harm human health and undermine local legitimate waste companies.”
A suspended sentence…no more evidence required to show that environmental crime is worth the risk! Until real sentences are handed down the EA will remain a toothless tiger!