'Horrific' tyre dump man jailed

A man who illegally dumped hundreds of thousands of old tyres at sites in Suffolk and Norfolk has been jailed.

At Norwich Crown Court Judge Paul Downes described video footage of one site where more than a million used tyres had been dumped as "horrific".

Timothy Phillips, 34, and Anne Cumming, 21, both of Bradenham, Essex, admitted depositing controlled waste at Roundham Park Industrial Estate, East Harling, Norfolk, and in Suffolk at White Fen Drove, Lakenheath, and Little Heath, Barnham, between 1999 and 2000.

Richard Bunwell, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said the couple had failed to clear the dump at Little Heath. The other two sites had been cleared.

'Horrific site'

Judge Downes said he had adjourned the hearing last year to allow the couple a chance to clear the dumps.

"I have seen a video of a horrific site.

"I gave you a year and I expected most if not all of it would be cleared. You have deceived this court on these matters."

He said they had carried on dumping the tyres after they had been warned to stop.

Richard Wood, defending, said the couple, who were bankrupt, had had every intention of clearing the third site.

"They went into this having no idea of the problems or the environmental issues."

Phillips was jailed for two months. Cummings was given a conditional discharge.