Night curfew for fly-tip farmer

Lloyd faced six months jail for dumping rubbish

A farmer in Wales has been placed under a nightly curfew after being convicted of fly-tipping.

David Owen Lloyd must stay on his property from 9pm to 7am every night for the next six months.

He is the first person to be punished by the Environment Agency in Wales under the Home Detention Curfew, introduced in 1999.

His movements will be monitored by an electronic tag which he must wear at all times.

Lloyd had pleaded guilty to two waste offences and faced a maximum of six months in jail.

Llandudno Magistrates Court was told Environment Agency officers watching Lloyd's farm in Llaneilian-yn-Rhos in 2002 saw tractors dumping controlled waste which was later burned.

The court also imposed a 12-month community rehabilitation order and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £750.

An Environment Agency spokesperson said the punishment would be a more effective deterrent than a fine: "We would like to see more of these curfews being used because it restricts people's movements, when a fine can be laughed off.

"Tipping and burning of waste is an environmental crime which poses a serious risk of pollution to the environment and may have an effect upon human health.

"It is hoped that this case will send a clear warning message to those individuals who persistently undertake this criminal activity."