Two people have been given suspended sentences at Northampton Crown Court after pleading guilty to running an illegal waste tyre site.
Andrew Eyre, 55, and Nimesh Patel, 52, ran the waste tyre site Synergy Tyres (Midland) Ltd. at Broad March Industrial Estate without an environmental permit.
Andrew Eyre was the sole Director of the company with Nimesh Patel having day-to-day control of the site.
Synergy Tyres (Midland) had previously been fined and Andrew Eyre received a suspended sentence in January 2020 for operating the same waste tyre facility without an environmental permit.
An investigation by the Environment Agency found tyres were stored unsafely, creating a significant fire risk and a high pollution risk.
Environment Agency officers inspected the site multiple times throughout 2020 and found “huge amounts” of tyres that exceeded the legal limit.
The investigation found that the 40-tonne weekly limit for the storage or treatment of waste tyres was exceeded 52 out of the 59 weeks analysed.
We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective.
Andrew Eyre and Nimesh Patel were arrested in February 2021 after an inspection by Environment Agency officers found the site had not been brought into compliance.
Sentencing the pair, HHJ Lucking KC said that they had been reckless and had displayed wilful blindness.
She sentenced Andrew Eyre to 18 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on condition that he complete 30 days of Rehabilitation Activities.
Nimesh Patel, who had been the Operations Manager at the site, was sentenced to 14 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, on condition that he perform 80 hours of unpaid work.
The case has now been adjourned for consideration of the recovery of the proceeds of crime, as well as recovery of the Environment Agency’s costs.
Yvonne Daly, Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, commented: “Not only do we use environmental law to prosecute those who abuse the environment, but we also use the Proceeds of Crime legislation to ensure that criminals are deprived of the benefits of their illegal activity.
“We continue to use intelligence-led approaches to target the most serious crimes and evaluate which interventions are most effective. We support legitimate businesses, and we are proactively supporting them by disrupting and stopping the criminal element backed up by the threat of tough enforcement as in this case.”
