Judge jails fish farmer for waste offences

A judge at Doncaster Crown Court has sent a Selby fish farmer to jail for four months after he admitted three offences of knowingly keeping controlled waste on land where no waste management licence was in force, and for one offence of knowingly depositing controlled waste.


The first offence was discovered in 1999, when the Environment Agency received a call from Selby District Council saying that a large quantity of timber and other waste had been deposited on land at the fish farm. A notice to remove the waste within 21 days was served on the farmer, but this was ignored, and in September 1999, following complaints about a fire at the farm, Agency inspectors found that the waste had been destroyed in a blaze.

“Waste management laws are there for a purpose,” said Bridget Ellerington, the environmental protection officer from the Agency who inspected the farm following the council’s initial complaint. “When they are flouted so blatantly, the Agency has no option but to pursue action through the courts. We are pleased that the seriousness of this offence has been recognised by the court and hope that the sentence sends out a warning message to others.”

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