9 given immediate prison sentences for running illegal waste site

Nine defendants have been sentenced to a collective 11 years of immediate imprisonment after pleading guilty to running an illegal waste site in rural Lincolnshire.

An investigation into the waste site on Fen Lane, Long Bennington by the Environment Agency waste was burned daily and buried.

Waste burning intensified during the first Coronavirus lockdown in March 2020, the Environment Agency said, which led to the site being closed down.

Following the investigation, 12 people, including three family members, and one company were charged, with 10 pleading guilty.

Following an eight-week trial at Nottingham Crown Court, the remaining three defendants were found guilty.

Reacting to the sentencing, Leigh Edlin, Area Director for Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire, said: “This was a serious illegal waste site which was highly organised and involved multiple offenders.

“Those involved sought to profit from Covid restrictions at the cost of the environment and by inflicting misery on the local community.

“The site and its operators had a major impact on legitimate businesses and our regulatory work.”

In April 2020, Environment Agency officers raided the site with Lincolnshire Police, which found lorry-loads of shredded waste were regularly being accepted onto the site.

Environment Agency officers also seized an excavator and a lorry which were actively depositing more waste at the site when officers arrived.

The Canner family Paul, 53, Judith, 55, and Joshua, 29, ran the illegal waste site and all received custodial sentences.

Paul was sentenced to 26 months in prison, while Judith and Joshua were both given 16-month sentences.

Sentencing the defendants, His Honour Judge Coupland found that the offending caused the highest level of harm and the illegal activity was deliberately concealed physically with falsified paperwork.

The Judge also said the repeated nature of the offences over a long period of time, and the financial gain obtained by the operation aggravated the offences for all defendants.

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