A gang of illegal waste dumpers turned six vacant sites across London into mountains of rubbish, leaving one landowner with a £300,000 cleanup bill. Patrick Doherty, Martin Ward, Michael Ward and Simon O’Donnell would unlawfully occupy spaces before directing convoys of tipper trucks to fill them with waste.
Colliers Wood and Croydon Sites Targeted
At one site in Colliers Wood, south-west London, the gang ordered a site worker to pay them £5,000 or they would 'fill this unit to the brim'. When the money was not forthcoming, they left a pile of waste five feet deep, costing £15,000 to clear. In Croydon, the landowner faced a £300,000 bill after security cameras were smashed and a company representative was threatened to prevent entry.
Sentencing at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court
The four men were found guilty of conspiracy to illegally dump controlled waste. Doherty received 28 months in prison, Martin Ward got 18 months, while Michael Ward and O’Donnell both received 14 months suspended for two years. The gang made considerable efforts to hide their identities, hiding their faces, interfering with cameras, and removing or covering vehicle registration plates. However, council CCTV and police body-worn footage provided enough evidence for the Environment Agency to convict.
Government Response
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds said: 'London represents some of the best of Britain, but this cynical gang represents the very worst. Londoners take pride in their city, and they deserve better than to have their neighbourhoods blighted by shameless waste criminals. Across the city, these men left a trail of destruction, and they have rightly been punished today.' She added: 'My message is simple – break the law by dumping waste and we will come after you.'
The government is tackling waste crime through its Waste Crime Action Plan, which includes giving enforcement officers new police-style powers, using new technology, and boosting funds to bring criminals to justice. Waste crime costs the UK more than £1 billion every year, with incidents like the 500ft long, 20ft deep fly-tip near Kidlington in Oxfordshire last November drawing national attention. The government recently announced the Environment Agency’s budget would be boosted by an additional £45 million each year for the next three years.
