Mark Winters Ordered to Repay Profits from Illegal Waste Operations
A man has been mandated to return nearly £53,000 after being implicated in the illegal disposal of large quantities of waste in Hertfordshire. Mark Winters was sentenced to a 12-month suspended prison term for his involvement in burying household and commercial rubbish at Codicote Quarry, located near Stevenage.
Details of the Illegal Operations
During a nearly three-year period, trucks continuously delivered prohibited and potentially hazardous materials to the site. The items dumped included electrical appliances, furniture, car parts, food packaging, wood, and metal waste. Investigators revealed that the volume of illegally stored rubbish could fill the Albert Hall three times.
In a recent ruling at Luton Crown Court, Mark Winters, 51, was warned that he faces two years in prison if he fails to repay the profits obtained through this illegal operation, amounting to £52,872.90. His brother, Liam Winters, 48, who was also involved, received a 17-month prison sentence in 2023 for similar offences concerning both Codicote and another area in Anstey, as well as a firing range in Nuthampstead.
Punishments and Penalties
Both brothers are currently experiencing an eight-year ban from serving as company directors. In addition to his suspended sentence, Mark Winters was assigned 200 hours of community service. Their company, Codicote Quarry Ltd, was fined £1,000 and obligated to pay a victim surcharge of £187.
Environmental Impact and Legal Action
The Environment Agency has taken a rigorous stance by prosecuting the brothers under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Barry Russell, the environment manager for the Agency in Hertfordshire, emphasized the harmful consequences of such illegal activities on the environment as well as the ongoing monitoring that Codicote Quarry will require to mitigate any risks of groundwater pollution.
Russell commented, “We are determined that waste operators who break the law don’t benefit from their crimes.” He reiterated the persistent illegal practices observed during inspections of the three sites.
Background
Previously, in a separate hearing, Liam Winters was also ordered to compensate £79,000 gained from their illegal activities across multiple sites. The brothers had admitted to accepting, storing, and handling waste in ways that violated the terms of their operating permit.
In total, approximately 200,000 cubic metres of harmful biodegradable material was improperly buried at Codicote. The prosecution’s efforts underscore the Environment Agency’s commitment to ensuring that legitimate waste management businesses are not undermined by illegal operators.
Source: official statements, news agencies, and public reports.
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/second-brother-to-hand-back-illegal-waste-profits
