Jail For West End Waste Offences

Three men have received almost four years behind bars for a series of waste disposal offences across the west of the city from Elswick to Newburn.

Carl Foggo, Martin Jobes and Michael Graham were sentenced to a total of 47 months, after pleading guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to illegal depositing and disposal of waste at various locations in the inner and outer west of the city.

The most serious of the offences took place in November 2016 after the owner of an industrial yard at Bentinck Road, Elswick, was approached by the three defendants and agreed a sum of £700 with Foggo to clear waste from the site, mainly made up of refrigerator units and other kitchen equipment.

Newcastle City Council officers on patrol in the West End of the city spotted thick, black plumes of smoke coming from the yard. On inspection, they saw Graham and Jobes burning waste with several of the fridges set alight. They both denied being responsible, the court was told.

The following day, officers returned and found Jobes and Foggo present and noted the yard was significantly cleaner. Following further enquiries, waste from the yard was discovered dumped in Langham Road and Woodstock Road in Scotswood.

Foggo, 29, of Swinley Gardens, Scotswood; Jobes, 48, Ridley Gardens, Gateshead; and Graham, 28, of Knott Place, Scotswood were each given nine month sentences for their involvement, at the 22 May court hearing. None were registered as professional waste carriers or had authorisation to dispose of waste.

Further sentences were imposed, after Foggo admitted illegal burning of waste at Scotswood and fly-tipping in Lemington with Jobes pleading guilty to two other offences of fly-tipping on land to the west of Newburn Riverside Industrial Park

In sentencing the men, Presiding Judge Sarah Mallett said, “The impact illegal waste has on the environment and the harm it causes is serious.

“It is a growing problem nationally and it undermines legitimate businesses and the proper and safe disposal of hazardous materials.”

Cllr Nick Kemp, Newcastle City Council cabinet member for environment, praised staff for “seeing the job through”, saying it had been “a long process to bring these men to justice”. The court heard that all three men were initially uncooperative with Council staff investigating the offences.

“These tough sentences will hopefully deter others from behaving similarly”, he said. “That is the risk people operating illegal waste businesses take.”

“We are in the process of trying to clean up our city and it is pleasing to see those who undermine these efforts will face the consequences.”

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