Co Armagh man fined £1,000 for waste offences

Derek Johnston (50) of Carrickasticken Road, Forkhill, today pleaded guilty at Newry Magistrates’ Court to offences involving the unauthorised infilling of waste at Newry Road, Meigh in 2019.
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Mr Johnston was fined a total of £1,000 and ordered to pay costs to the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) of £2,119.20.

On 23 July 2019, NIEA officers went to a site at Newry Road, Meigh, where they observed an excavator operating in a field beside the main Newry Road.

Its driver identified himself as Derek Johnston.

Officers noted controlled waste including stone, tiles, plastic, and tyres on the ground.

On 13 August 2019, NIEA officers returned to the site and conducted a survey of the lands, and identified approximately 14,000 tonnes of controlled waste.

On 16 October 2019, PSNI Officers observed a lorry tipping waste on the same site whilst Mr Johnston was present.

He accepted that he had permitted waste to be deposited on his site.