The defendants were sentenced on 27th February at Northampton Magistrates’ Court for waste offences at Mill Farm near Kettering. They were ordered to pay fines, victim surcharges and prosecution costs of more than £75,000.

From 2019 to 2021, Environment Agency officers investigated the site in Great Cransley which David Goodjohn, 64 of Grange Road, Geddington, and his company, Green Infrastructure Ltd, operated without an environmental permit. They have been ordered to pay almost £32,000.

34,000 tonnes of waste was stored at the site with large quantities of mixed waste piled over 10 metres high, becoming an eyesore for the local community. Despite repeated visits, the Environment Agency’s guidance was ignored for over two years.

The third defendant, Storefield Aggregates, failed to comply with the waste duty of care by sending more than 24,000 tonnes of waste to the site between 2019 and 2021. It was ordered to pay more than £43,000.

The Environment Agency sent warning letters to two further companies which also deposited waste at the site.

Yvonne Daly, Environment Agency Manager, said:

We work to stop illegal waste activities and support legitimate business whilst protecting communities and nature from harm. We take illegal waste activity very seriously and will not hesitate to disrupt activity and prosecute those responsible.

Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity should report it to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 807060, or anonymously through CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111.