Illegal dumper in fine ultimatum

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7081807.stm

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A Tyrone farmer who ran an illegal waste business has been ordered to pay £252,252 or face five years in prison.

John Anthony McKenna, 49, from Clogher was convicted last November of storing household and commercial waste from the Irish Republic on his land.

An investigation was then launched by the Assets Recovery Agency to decide how much to charge him.

An agency spokesman said the penalties sent out a "clear message" they will work to put offenders out of business.

Complaints were received by Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council in 2004, that lorry loads of waste were being dumped after dark and buried on Mr McKenna's property.

Excavation revealed household waste from the Irish Republic.

The judge told Belfast Crown Court on Tuesday that McKenna had benefited from his criminal conduct to the sum of £264,252.

McKenna was ordered to either pay the fine by next May or serve five years in prison, after which he would still owe £252,252.

Convicted

He was originally convicted in November 2006 at Omagh Crown Court.

Assets Recovery Agency Deputy Director Operations, Charlie Dickin, said the penalties faced by McKenna sent out "a clear message to those involved in any form of serious and organised criminal activity".

"ARA together with its partners will do everything in its power to put them out of business," he said.

The Environment and Heritage Service said that the illegal deposit of waste in Northern Ireland is extremely profitable to those involved because of the costs of legal disposal.

The more expensive cost of waste disposal to landfill in the Republic, compared with Northern Ireland, has encouraged the illegal transport of waste over the border.