Mr Kevin Kennell pleaded guilty to 12 charges related to keeping and treating controlled waste on land that did not have a Waste Management Licence. He also pleaded guilty to continuing to deposit waste after proceedings had been issued informing him of his offence.
As well as jailing him for eight months, Mr Kennell was banned by Warwickshire Crown Court from acting as a company director for three years.
Summing up, Judge Pyke said that Mr Kennell was “operating an unlawful business with full understanding of the requirements of the law” and that his actions showed an “extraordinary defiance of the legislation and procedures designed to protect the environment”.
Investigation
The case was brought before a judge under Sections 33 and 157 of the 1990 Environmental Protection Act following a two-year investigation by the Environment Agency into the site processing waste materials, soil and building rubble.
Commenting after the court case, the environmental protection officer in charge of the Environment Agency investigation, Mick Hyde, said of Mr Kennell: “His aggressive, defiant approach to our enforcement officers had made the investigation drawn out and difficult, but using covert surveillance techniques a vast amount of evidence was obtained.”
He added: “The custodial sentence reflects the seriousness of this offence and should act as a deterrent against similar illegal operations in the area.
Mr Hyde went on to say that the company Mr Kennell started after proceedings had been issued against him – called Budget Skips – is still operating.
He said: “Budget Skips continues to operate illegally and we will work in partnership with local authorities to bring them under control or cease their operations completely. The Environment Agency would ask the public to use only reputable licensed skip operators that have controlled sites and dispose of waste in an environmentally friendly manner.”
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