A Dereham garage proprietor has received a suspended prison sentence for storing waste illegally, despite repeated warnings from the Environment Agency.
On 4 November 2021, Colin Barnes of Podmore Lane, Scarning, Dereham, appeared Norwich Magistrates’ Court.
At this time he admitted storing end of life motor vehicles, car parts, gear boxes and suspension units illegally at his site in Podmore Lane.
Magistrates heard that despite previous warnings, Barnes had not cleared the site at Podmore Lane of stockpiled scrap vehicles. The stockpile contained pollutants such as fuel, brake fluid, batteries and tyres.
Environment Agency prosecutor, Sarah Dunne, told the court that Barnes, had previous convictions for similar offences spanning a decade.
He had been given “chance after chance” to clear the waste and to work with the Environment Agency. However, the site remained a risk to the environment and undermined law-abiding competitors who operated within the law.
Sentencing Barnes to 16 weeks’ imprisonment, the chair of the bench, Mr Nicholas Clarke, told Barnes that his “wilful refusal” made custody the only option.
He told Barnes that the prison sentence would be suspended for 2 years and made an order requiring Barnes to remediate the site by 17 January 2022. He warned Barnes that, if he failed to clear the waste and continued to stockpile waste, he would be brought back to court. He warned him that this is his, “final, final chance” and if he came back to court, he should, “bring a bag”.
Norfolk man given suspended jail term for illegal waste operation – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
