Legal News

Gateshead Council has prosecuted a local resident found to be operating a scrap metal business from his front garden without a licence.

Council officers were alerted to allegations that an illegal scrap metal operation was being conducted in a residential street. When they visited the address, it was quickly established that large quantities of waste were being stored at the property and on the highway.

Council officers had already been aware of the defendant’s activities and had warned him a number of times about the condition of his property. However, when it became apparent that he was continuing to run a business from his address and was storing scrap metal on the highway, the council began legal proceedings.

At Gateshead Magistrates’ Court, Jackie Weddle of Kendal Crescent in Beacon Lough, Gateshead pleaded guilty to charges under the Environmental Protection Act and the Scrap Metal Dealers Act of running a scrap metal business without the required licence and failing to keep the required waste transfer notes.

Magistrates fined him £733.00 with £296.24 in costs.

After the hearing, Gateshead Council Service Director for Planning, Public Protection and Highways, Anneliese Hutchinson, said:

“There are very strict laws around the operation of scrap metal businesses, some of them to do with protecting the environment and others to do with the prevention and control of metal theft.

“Mr Weddle’s wholly unlicensed activities appeared to contravene both of those – but quite apart from that, it’s difficult to imagine what his neighbours must have had to put up with.

“A residential street is definitely not the right environment for a scrap yard – we will be monitoring Mr Weddle’s premises to ensure he doesn’t repeat his offending.”

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors can advise companies and individuals at any stage of an environmental offence, including charges relating to polluting watercourses, fisheries offences, fly tipping, waste carrier offences, failing to manage hazardous waste, air pollution, noise pollution, or misuse of permitted land.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales and in most major cities – and a Duncan Lewis criminal defence solicitor can advise at the start of an investigation by the Environment Agency or local authority and before charges are brought.

For expert legal advice on all environmental offences, call Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors on 0333 772 0409.