Wigan business owner narrowly escapes jail…

Hefty fine for illegal dumping of demolition waste.

A Wigan business owner narrowly escaped jail after Liverpool Crown Court handed down a 26 week prison sentence suspended sentence for two years for illegally depositing and burning of waste.

After a joint investigation with Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council the Environment Agency successfully prosecuted Nigel Isherwood and his company, Isherwood Skip and Container Hire Ltd, Ince Moss, near Wigan at a trial which concluded on 6 January 2011.

The company were found guilty of depositing large quantities of soil and demolition waste, totalling 2,503 cubic metres, which was outside of their permitted area. This illegal deposit was on land owned by Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council. In addition, on two occasions, the company at the direction of Nigel Isherwood, illegally burnt large volumes of waste on site in order to dispose of it at zero cost to himself. The business saved over £18,000 in disposal costs as a result of this illegal activity.

In addition to the suspended sentence the company was fined £20,000 plus £18,000 in costs (costs to be split equally between Mr Isherwood and the company). The judge also ordered the company to remove the illegally deposited waste by 14 July 2011.

Nigel Isherwood also received a community order to reside at his home address for two years. If he wishes to move he must inform his probation officer.

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