Armagh Farmer and Local Firm Fined For Illegal Waste Disposal

An Armagh farmer has been fined £1,500 plus £283 court costs and £280 for witness attendance fees at Armagh Magistrates' Court (17 October 2008).

Robert Davidson, 44, of Mowhan Road, Armagh was fined for breaches of waste management legislation under the Waste and Contaminated Land (NI) Order 1997. Mr Davidson managed land on the Shillinghill Road, Armagh where multiple loads of construction and demolition had been deposited.

At the same court, Killycarn Sand and Gravel Ltd of Killycarn Road, Armagh was fined £1,500 plus £283 court costs and £280 for witness attendance fees for depositing waste material on the land managed by Mr Davidson.


Environmental Crime officers of the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) (now NIEA) visited the site on the 6 June 2007 and found large amounts of mixed demolition waste including concrete, wood, stones, carpet and furniture.

Laboratory analysis confirmed the presence of Chrysotile (white asbestos) in a sample of sheeting taken from the site. Mr Davidson admitted that he managed the land and had permitted the depositing of this waste material.

Mr Davidson gave permission to a Director of Killycarn Sand and Gravel Ltd to bring material to the site including construction and demolition waste and clay. The Director admitted to bringing approximately 20 loads of waste material to the site.

On 16 August 2007 officers of the EHS revisited the site where the waste material had been levelled and pushed over the side of the bank into the Mowhan River. This resulted in numerous trees being pushed over and waste material being deposited on the river bank. There were also numerous animal carcasses in various states of decay.

(PR/JM)