Waste firm operating without licence

Anthony Dean a director of A1 waste has been fined €10, 000 at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on charges relating to the recovery of waste without a licence, during 1998, at Whitestown, near Baltinglass in west Wicklow.

Reviewing the evidence before sentencing Mr Justice Desmod Hogan today said it was accepted by all sides that the waste concerned was inert material "builders' waste if I may put it like that."

Judge Hogan noted that the waste concerned was not hospital waste, which had been suggested at the beginning of Mr Dean's trial.

Judge Hogan told Mr Dean's counsel Shane Murphy SC that he had also taken into account that during the four months that waste was being taken to Whitestown by A1 Waste, Wicklow County Council was also transporting inert material to Whitestown and had an officer on the gate of the 47 acre site, "at least some of the time" who was directing where waste was to be deposited.

Judge Hogan recalled Mr Dean had initially been indicted on charges relating to the "Disposal" of waste and had pleaded guilty to the reduced charge of Recovery Without a Licence, on the third day of the trial.

The judge said he would "make no adverse finding" against Mr Dean in relation to this as "a substituted charge was preferred against the defendant on the third day, and he couldn't have pleaded to the count before that."

Mr Murphy recalled the four months were January, February, March and April of 1998, related to inert material and that this during was the early days of new regulations regarding waste management.