Defendant who dumped waste on floodplain sentenced to 32 months in jail, given £200k confiscation order

A defendant who buried around 12,000 tonnes waste, including, asbestos in floodplain in Devon has been jailed for 32 months, following a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency.

Christopher Garrett, aged 64, of Little Lindridge Cottage, Kingsteignton, was also handed a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act of more than £200,000.

The Environment Agency said it thought Garrett was the worst offender the watchdog had seen in Devon and Cornwall for the quantity of asbestos he illegally disposed of.

Exeter Crown Court heard that Garrett repeatedly imported waste onto his land, despite being prosecuted previously and receiving multiple warnings from the Environment Agency.

Garrett pleaded guilty to charges of running a waste facility without a permit, and for disposing of waste material, namely asbestos, in a manner likely to harm the environment or human health.

He will serve half of the 32-month sentence.

Following the hearing, an Environment Agency spokesperson said: “Garrett is a repeat offender who showed no care for the environment or human health. He took no notice of the previous warnings given by the courts and the Environment Agency and imported hazardous waste, burying it to make a quick profit.

“We are extremely pleased that he has now been brought to book and are working with our partners to establish what will happen to the site going forward. We would like to remind everyone who produces, transports or disposes of waste that they have a duty of care to ensure it doesn’t end up at a site like this.”