Melton man must pay £2,500 after harmfully disposing of oil in house clearance

Simon Holland of Kipling Drive, admitted the offence when he appeared at Leicester Magistrates Court in a case prosecuted by Melton Borough Council.

The court was told that officers in the council’s environmental health team received a report of suspicious activity in March last year when the family of the former tenant of a house in Regency Road, Asfordby, were clearing the property.

They had been observed digging a hole and pouring in a liquid that looked like engine oil and the incident was recorded on a mobile phone.

Staff from the council’s environmental health and property teams visited the house and observed that the ground had recently been disturbed and there was an odour of oil in that location. the magistrates were told.

Laboratory testing of the soil confirmed that the bulk of the contamination was indicative of lubricating oils, such as engine oil.

Holland pleaded guilty to disposing of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution to the environment or harm to human health under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The council was represented by its in-house legal team.

Magistrates fined Holland £500 for the offence and ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £50 and court costs of £2,071.33, which includes the cost of clearing the land.

Borough council leader, Cllr Joe Orson, said afterwards: “The council’s mission is to protect and enhance the environment within the borough, maintaining Melton as a clean area for all residents of the community.

“When the negligence of an individual contaminates land which damages the environment, leads to potential health risks to the community and costs the council to rectify, it is right that legal action is taken.

“This successful prosecution sends another clear message that the council takes its responsibility seriously and will take action against those who are causing problems in the community.”