Sheffield Magistrates’ Court on 17 December 2025 imposed a 17‑week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, on Gary Saunders of Spitalfields, Blyth, Worksop, Nottinghamshire, for operating an illegal waste site. The court also ordered 60 hours of unpaid work, £3,000 in costs and a £154 victim surcharge following an Environment Agency prosecution.
According to the Environment Agency, Saunders admitted running a regulated waste facility at 2a Church Lane, Dinnington, Sheffield S25 2LY without an environmental permit between 14 July 2023 and 25 February 2025. The activity involved storing, treating and disposing of materials linked to a conservatory business-including uPVC doors and window frames, glass, plastic sheets, guttering, fascias and soffits-contrary to regulations 12(1), 38(1)(a) and 39(1) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016.
The case began when a member of the public contacted the Environment Agency. Officers visited the site on 20 June 2023, at premises trading as 4 Counties Group on Church Lane, and found substantial quantities of waste. Saunders, operating as a sole trader and leasing the site from the landowner, was advised on compliance but the accumulation of waste continued.
Environment Agency officers monitored the location during 2023 and 2024 and issued guidance letters with deadlines for removal that were not met. In interview, Saunders acknowledged operating without the necessary permits and cited health challenges. Eviction proceedings commenced in February 2025 and the landlord subsequently regained control of the site.
The Environment Agency stated the outcome aligns with its approach to tackling illegal waste activities that damage the environment and undercut compliant operators. The public is encouraged to report suspected waste crime via the Agency’s incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously through Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, any operation that stores, treats or disposes of waste is a regulated facility and generally requires an environmental permit, unless a specific registered exemption applies. Operating without authorisation constitutes an offence under regulation 12(1), with criminal liability set out in regulation 38; the charge here also referenced regulation 39(1).
Sentencing for environmental offences in magistrates’ courts assesses culpability, harm and means. A suspended custodial term with an unpaid work requirement and a costs order indicates the court found the custody threshold met but determined that immediate imprisonment was not required, subject to compliance during the suspension period.
Businesses handling construction and plastics waste should first confirm whether activities constitute storage, treatment or disposal and therefore require a permit. Where only low‑risk activities apply, certain exemptions may be available but require formal registration. Operators should retain waste transfer documentation, use licensed carriers, and maintain site conditions to prevent accumulation and pollution risk.
Landlords and site owners should verify prospective tenants’ authorisations before granting leases for waste‑related activities, including confirmation of permits or exemptions and contractual obligations for compliance, record‑keeping and timely removal of waste.
The progression from a public report and inspection on 20 June 2023 to sentencing on 17 December 2025 demonstrates that persistent non‑compliance after advice and clear deadlines can result in prosecution. The case provides a clear signal that unauthorised waste operations will attract criminal sanctions when operators fail to regularise their activities.