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Caravan-based skip firm boss was BURNING waste at farm

The mess at David Lee's skips base in Moreton in Marsh Picture: Environment Agency <i>(Image: Environment Agency)</i>
The mess at David Lee's skips base in Moreton in Marsh Picture: Environment Agency (Image: Environment Agency)

These images show the smouldering piles of rubbish at the Cotswolds base of now-convicted waste offender David Lee.

The 46-year-old, also known as David Ham, was operating a commercial skip business from the Moreton-in-Marsh farm where he lived in a caravan.

As well as living at the farm, he used the land to dump skips full of waste. He sorted, stored and burned the rubbish at the farm, and also removed some of the waste for disposal elsewhere.

READ MORE: Concerns grow for missing Oxford man

The Environment Agency said Lee did not have the relevant environmental permits for the work done at the site, which is near nature conservation areas, and ignored demands by the government quango's inspectors that he stop burning waste at the farm.

Oxford Mail:
Oxford Mail:

The skip firm boss skipped bail, failing to attend Oxford Magistrates’ Court for his trial last week.

He was found guilty in his absence of operating a waste facility without a permit, failing to comply with a notice to remove waste and knowingly permitting controlled waste to be burned. The justices issued a warrant for his arrest.

A spokesman for the Environment Agency, which brought the prosecution, said: “We are pleased to secure this conviction for running an illegal unpermitted waste operation.

“Waste crime can have a serious environmental impact which puts communities at risk, and undermines legitimate businesses.”

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