Toomebridge man sentenced for waste offences

A Co Antrim man was today given a six month sentence, suspended for three years, at Antrim Crown Court for breaches of waste management legislation.

Mr Raymond Quinn (55) of Gillistown Road, Toomebridge, Co Antrim, was found guilty to five counts of keeping, treating or disposing of controlled waste in relation to lands in his ownership at Gillistown Road, contrary to the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

On 25 May 2006 officers from Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) (formerly the Environment and Heritage Service) visited the site in response to complaints of unauthorised waste disposal.

Upon entering the site, officers observed controlled waste consisting of mixed municipal waste in the form of household, commercial, industrial and hazardous material.

NIEA officers, with the co-operation of Mr Quinn, secured the removal of the offending material from the site in compliance with a statutory notice.

Notes to Editors:

1.In November 2008, Raymond Quinn was charged under the following Articles of Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997:

two charges under Article 4(1) a, i.e. depositing of controlled waste in or on land unless a waste management licence authorising the deposit is in force and the deposit is in accordance with the licence;

one charge under Article 4(1) b, i.e. keeping controlled waste in or on land unless a waste management licence authorising the deposit is in force and the deposit in accordance with the licence; and

one charge under Article 4(1) c, i.e. treating, keeping or disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health.

2.Mr Quinn pleaded guilty at an earlier sitting of Antrim Crown Court in November 2008.

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