A 30-year-old man has been given a suspended prison sentence after admitting to operating an illegal waste site on rural land in Northumberland, following a long-running investigation by the Environment Agency.
A Northumberland man who dumped waste illegally on his land has been sentenced at court after repeatedly ignoring instructions to stop the activity and clear the site.
Dominic Allan, 30, of Old Swarland, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Friday 19 December, where he was sentenced for two offences of operating an illegal waste site. He had previously pleaded guilty on 16 October.
The court heard that Allan failed to comply with Environment Agency advice to cease waste activity and remove the material from the land. He was handed a 23-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, ordered to complete 16 days of rehabilitation activity, and to pay £3,154 in costs.
Allan was also instructed to clear all remaining waste from the site by 30 June 2026. The court was told that failure to do so would result in him being returned to court.
Environment Agency officers first visited Allan’s property in July 2024 after receiving reports of waste activity. Inspectors found scrap vehicles, construction and demolition waste, household and garden waste, as well as evidence of waste burning.
Allan told officers he was unaware an environmental permit was required and said he was not operating a waste site. He also claimed that some of the vehicles belonged to an associate who was renting part of the land. Despite stating he intended to apply for a permit, officers later identified social media posts showing Allan offering waste collection services and selling scrap vehicles for parts.
Follow-up visits in August and October 2024, and again in March 2025, found waste still present on the site, including hazardous plasterboard and further evidence of burning.
Gary Wallace, area environment manager for the Environment Agency in the North East, said: “Permits are there to protect communities and the environment. Allan had a blatant disregard for the law with no thought about the impact of his actions.
“We’ll continue to take action against those involved in waste crime to protect people and the environment.”
The court also heard that Allan had previously been sentenced in August 2021 to 12 months in prison for similar offences at the same location.