Robert Elliott, of Brooklyn Avenue, Chesterfield, admitted two waste charges in a case brought by the Environment Agency. He was sentenced on Monday this week to two month's imprisonment on each charge, to run concurrently.
He was also charged with fraudulent trading following a police investigation and was imprisoned for a further nine months, also to run concurrently. He was disqualified from being a director of a limited company for four years.
Mr Elliott was the second Chesterfield man to be jailed following a two-year detailed and intensive investigation into waste offences by Environment Agency officers in the North East. In February this year Nigel Smith, of Hawksley Avenue, Chesterfield, was jailed for a total of five years and four months for a range of offences, including waste charges.
At the hearing Judge Robertshaw told Mr Elliott: “You have pleaded guilty to waste tipping and keeping offences on a pretty substantial scale. You have been spoken to on a number of occasions by Environment Agency officers and left in no doubt of the illegality of your activities.
“I am in no doubt that your motive in committing these offences was greed.”
After the hearing environment protection officer Roger Wilde said it was an excellent result.
“The hard work and determination of the Agency officers has ensured that the polluter pays principle is being enforced.
“Elliott has shown a complete disregard towards the environment and a cavalier attitude towards the impact of his illegal activities on others. The length of the prison sentence imposed clearly indicates the seriousness with which the Court views those who disregard laws intended to protect the environment. It should act as a strong deterrent to others contemplating such acts.”
Mr Elliott and his business partner Nigel Smith first attracted the attention of the Environment Agency in 1998 when they took occupancy of land at Armytage Industrial Estate, Chesterfield.
From this base they operated an illegal transfer station, collecting waste with their skip business, CLTDS Skip Hire, and then dumping it, leaving a large mountain of waste behind. Despite warnings and Enforcement Notices being served the men failed to curb their illegal activities.
Mr Elliott previously admitted one charge of knowingly permitting waste to be deposited and one charge of knowingly permitting the keeping of controlled waste between July 23, 1998 and November 3, 1998 at Armytage Yard, Station Road, Old Whittington, Chesterfield. Contrary to Section 33(1)(a) and Section 33(1)(b) respectively of the Environment Protection Act 1990.
At an earlier hearing at Sheffield Crown Court on February 2 this year Mr Smith, of Hawksley Avenue, Chesterfield, faced 16 waste charges brought by the Environment Agency as well as fraud and dishonesty charges brought as a result of Police and Customs investigations.
He was sentenced to a total of five years and four months in jail.
For the 16 waste offences he received a sentence of four months for each offence to run concurrently. For the remaining 33 fraud and dishonesty charges he received a total sentence of five years to run consecutively to the waste offences.
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