Man Prosecuted For Illegally Dumping Waste On Land

A man has been prosecuted after thousands of tonnes of waste was illegally dumped on land he owned in Dungannon.



Robert McClean, 64, of Annaghquin Road, Rock, Dungannon was sentenced for illegally infilling an area of birch bog with waste at Dungannon Magistrates' Court on Monday, 10 July.



He was fined £500, with more than £226 in costs and a £15 offender levy.




Officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency responded to complaints of large-scale dumping at land adjacent to 29 Annaghquin Road, Rock on 08 April 2014.



On investigation, officers found an area of birch bog approximately 75 x 75 metres infilled with waste including clay soil, plastics, ceramic, wood, construction and demolition waste, shrubs and tree branches. Overall, 2,142 tonnes of waste was present.



Officers returned to the site over the next four years and the amount of waste was found to have increased. When Mr McClean was identified as the owner of the land, he was issued with a legal notice requiring the removal of the waste from the site. Once cleared, the works were said to have cost £6,000.



(LM)