Havering Magistrates Court heard that 11 out of 15 defendants face charges related to shipping prohibited waste under the Transfrontier Shipment of Waste Regulations 2007 and European Waste Shipment Regulations 2006.

The eleven are Joseph Benson & BJ Electronics Limited, Terence Dugbo, Nnamdi Ezechukwu and Reliance Export Limited, Godwin Ezeemo and Orient Export Limited, Prince Ibeh, Stuart McGuigan, Emmanuel Makete and Adrian Thompson.

All are due Basildon Crown Court on March 11, three further defendants have contested the evidence against them and will appear again at Havering Magistrates Court on February 23, a final defendant reserved their plea as they had instructed new solicitors.

The three due back in Havering are Thorn International UK Limited, Birmingham, Michael Sirpal Singh, Birmingham and Chika Ezeemo, London, while Krassimir Vengelov, of West Sussex, has new legal representations.

The Environment Agency’s national environmental crime team manager, Andy Higham, after the hearing said: “By committing this case to crown court the district judge took the same view as we do, that this is a serious and complex case that needs to be heard before a judge and jury.”

Luke Walsh

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