The chief executive of the Chooselife charity in Llanelli has been prosecuted for loaning a vehicle to someone one who used it to fly tip waste.
Alan Andrews was convicted at Llanelli Magistrates Court of three offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
The court heard that on or around April 13 last year an individual linked to Chooselife illegally deposited waste in Swiss Valley and Clifton Terrace, Llanelli. Mr Andrews loaned the vehicle to the individual, who has already been prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council.
Mr Andrews, is the Chief Executive of the Chooselife charity, based in Copperworks Road, Llanelli, which aims to rehabilitate those with drug and alcohol-related problems.
The individual was provided with a tipper truck and a phone which had the phone number that is printed on flyers for we-garden-landscape –anything.com which undertakes general landscaping, paving, fencing and we move anything.com which deals with house clearance, rubbish, hardcore and garden waste removal.
According to Mr Andrews, the individual would be paid directly by customers and the money passed to Chooselife which has a lower tier waste carriers licence issued by the Environment Agency.
The total cost to the council for the removal and disposal of waste illegally deposited at Swiss Valley and Clifton Terrace was £467.85.
The court heard that the offence is very straightforward in that if you loan your vehicle to another individual and that person is involved in fly tipping, you are also held responsible whether or not you gave any instructions for this to be done.
At intervals between May 16 and June 7, 2016, waste was seen deposited on the yard adjacent to Chooselife, and two oil drums were also seen burning in the yard. There is no environmental permit in place at this location which allows for the keeping or treating of such waste contrary to S.33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Fifty four-year-old Mr Andrews was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £400 costs.
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