A 63-year-old woman who repeatedly ignored Environment Agency warnings about an illegal operation has been sentenced
An Essex landowner has been fined for allowing an illegal waste site to operate on her land, despite numerous warnings from the Environment Agency.
Karen Bennett (63) of Orsett Heath Crescent, Grays, Essex, was ordered to pay more than £9,000 in fines and costs at Basildon Magistrates Court on 6 November 2024.
Bennett, landowner of Bennett's Industrial Estate in West Tilbury, Essex, knowingly permitted her tenant (Mark James of Fobbing Road, Corringham) to operate an illegal waste site on one of her units.
Waste piled high at Bennett's Industrial Estate
Environment Agency officers visited the site numerous times between 9 December 2022 and 13 October 2023. During these visits, piles of waste comprised of brick rubble, soils, plastic, wood and metal including fridge freezers were found on the site, which had no environmental permit.
Officers provided advice and guidance to Bennett on a number of occasions during this period and in preceding years. They explained Bennett's environmental responsibilities as a landowner and requested lease documentation from her which she did not provide.
Despite these warnings, the site was not cleared. Bennett continued to permit the operation of an illegal waste site on her land, resulting in waste being burned and buried.
Incorrectly stored, treated or disposed of waste poses a serious threat to the environment. In this case, poorly stored and treated waste posed a risk to human health and the environment.
Bennett's tenant, Mark James, was sentenced on 12 January 2024. He was sentenced to 10 months' imprisonment and told to pay a victim surcharge of £187.
Prosecuting for the Environment Agency, Solicitor Sarah Dunne told the court that "although Bennett had not carried out any of the waste activities herself, she had provided the land, continued to accept rent from James, and turned a blind eye to his offending."
Sentencing Bennett, the presiding magistrate told her there was a "repeated failure to carry out things responsibly. You were reckless. You could have done a lot more."
Lesley Robertson, East Anglia Area Enforcement Team Leader, said:
Despite the Environment Agency outlining Bennett's responsibilities as a landowner, she continued to permit the illegal deposit, storage and treatment of waste on her land without an environmental permit.
Miss Bennett received payment from her tenant with little or no regard for the environment. By imposing this sentence, the magistrates have demonstrated how seriously they viewed her behaviour.
We take illegal waste activity very seriously and will not hesitate to disrupt criminal activity and prosecute those responsible.
Anyone with suspicions of waste crime can call our incident hotline 0800 807060, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Notes
Charges: Between 8 December 2022 and 16 August 2023 at Bennett's Industrial Estate, Chadwell St Mary, Karen Bennett did permit the operation of a regulated facility, namely a waste operation for the deposit, treatment and storage of waste, except under and to the extent authorised by an environmental permit contrary to Regulations 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(b) Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
- Sentence: Karen Bennett was ordered to pay a total of £9,352 which consisted of:
- Band E fine: £2,000
- Full costs: £6,552
- Victim surcharge: £800
