13 prosecuted for operating illegal Lincolnshire waste site
13 people have been convicted following an investigation by the Environment Agency into an illegal waste site in rural Lincolnshire, near Newark.
Aerial view of the site during the raid, showing burning waste and a lorry depositing waste.
The findings of the investigation, named Operation Lord, led to 10 defendants pleading guilty. Following an 8 week trial at Nottingham Crown Court which concluded on Friday June 28, 3 defendants who had pleaded not guilty were found guilty.
Operation Lord saw Environment Agency officers spend months building a picture of evidence of the illegal waste site on Fen Lane, Long Bennington. A raid on the site was then conducted in April 2020 with Lincolnshire Police.
Intelligence had revealed lorry-loads of shredded waste were regularly being accepted onto the site the size of a football pitch. Waste was burned daily and buried. This activity intensified during the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, and so action was taken to bring it to a halt.
Environment Agency officers also seized an excavator and a lorry which were actively depositing more waste at the site when officers arrived. 2 arrests were made.
The prosecution was brought against individuals that ran the illegal waste site; burned the waste; drove waste to the site and the landowners. 2 waste brokers were also prosecuted.
A sentencing for all defendants will be scheduled for a later date.
Anyone who suspects illegal waste activity is reminded to report it to our 24-hour hotline. Call 0800 80 70 60, or anonymously contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Notes to Editors
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The 3 defendants on trial who pleaded not guilty, but were found guilty were:
- James Baggaley, aged 38 from Foston, Lincolnshire, found guilty of 1) knowingly permitting the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October and 14 April 2022.
- Robert Malone, aged 41 from Clitheroe, the sole director of NWR 2004 Limited, found guilty of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
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Fletcher Plant Limited found guilty of failing to comply with the waste duty of care between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
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The 10 defendants who pleaded guilty are:
- Paul Canner, aged 53 from Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to 1) knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020, and 2) knowingly causing the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Judith Canner, aged 54 from Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Joshua Canner, aged 29 from Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to knowingly causing the deposit of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Marc Greenfield, aged 46 from Brough, pleaded guilty to knowingly permitting the operation of the illegal waste site between 1 October 2019 and 14 April 2022.
- Sonial Surpal, aged 52 from Coventry, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Luke Woodward, aged 37 from Nuneaton, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Marcus Chapman, aged 38 from Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of the waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Peter Wainwright, aged 32 from Atherstone, Warwickshire pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Nathan Jones, aged 43 from Mansfield, pleaded guilty to disposing of waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.
- Daniel Lippitt, aged 54 from Leicester, pleaded guilty to depositing waste at the site between 1 October 2019 and 1 May 2020.