A Newry man has been convicted and hit with a £177,123.53 confiscation order over waste and pollution offences.

James Morgan, 38, was found to breach the law after keeping and disposing controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution and without a license contrary to the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

The confiscation order granted by Newry Crown Court on 03 December 2021 equates to the criminal benefit generated by James Morgan from the illegal disposal of controlled waste at a site on the Benagh Road, Mayobridge, Newry.

-- Advertisement --

In 2016 and 2018 officers from the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) investigated the site owned by and under the control of Mr James Morgan. At the site officers observed a large in-fill area consisting of; plastic controlled waste along with construction and demolition controlled waste. The site did not have a waste management license nor did it have planning approval.

Mr Morgan pleaded guilty on 11 February 2020 to the charges of keeping controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution and disposing of controlled waste contrary to the Waste and Contaminated Land (Northern Ireland) Order 1997.

Mr Morgan was given three months to pay the confiscation order with a default term set at two years imprisonment in the event of non-payment. In addition he was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment (suspended for two years) on all three counts listed in the indictment.