Cornwall man must repay £72,500 for running illegal waste site
Cornishman Martin Harvey ignored warnings about his illegal business and his plans to unlawfully develop his land and was prosecuted by the Environment Agency.
An Environment Agency officer inspects Martin Harvey's land at St Newlyn East in Cornwall
- Martin Harvey, under the Proceeds of Crime Act, must now repay £72,500 or face jail.
- Over 10,000 tonnes of household, demolition and hazardous waste, including asbestos, found at the premises.
- Despite Environment Agency advice, multiple warnings and formal notices being served, Harvey took no action to protect local environment.
Harvey, who operated the illegal site on land he owned at Shepherds Farm, St Newlyn East, Cornwall appeared before Truro Crown Court on Friday 3 October. Harvey pleaded guilty to four offences. He received a 3-month prison sentence, suspended for 2 years.
He was also ordered to pay full costs of £16,653.99 to be paid within one year. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, Harvey was ordered to pay back £72,500 he made from operating his illegal waste business by 9 January 2026 or face three months in prison.
Wood and watercourse ‘flattened’
Tiles of asbestos found by a watercourse on the land
The court heard there was no Environmental Permit for the site which would allow the legal deposit of waste. Harvey also deposited waste and filled in a wooded valley and a watercourse in order to create flattened areas on the land, which he then intended to develop.
There were no planning permissions in place for any construction necessitating the waste importation. About 10,000 of tonnes of mixed construction and demolition waste, including hazardous material such as white and blue asbestos, was present at the site.
‘Modest sum’ paid for storing waste
An incinerator found onsite
During regular Environment Agency inspections of the site from February to July 2023, Harvey was advised that he was operating illegally, had no planning permission for the development works and that all waste importation should cease immediately.
At one of the site inspections in April 2023, Environment Agency officers noted waste, including tyres, being illegally burned in what appeared to be a homemade incinerator.
Harvey was invited to attend an interview with the Environment Agency, which he declined, but sent in a total of three statements under caution.
• He claimed he wished to build up the land for new agricultural buildings.
• Claimed that he registered the relevant exemptions and believed he could import 10,000 tonnes of concrete, bricks, tiles and ceramic mixtures
• Did not provide any detail of the sums he was paid to receive waste, bar saying he was ‘paid a modest sum’
• Denied that there was asbestos containing material on site and stated he held an exemption which permitted him to burn waste.
Sally Turberville of the Environment Agency said:
Waste criminals should be aware how seriously we take their offending, including the financial benefit they obtain from their illegal activities.
Offenders like Harvey simply won’t get away with concealing information or their assets. Waste crime can be a blight on the environment, communities and to legitimate businesses.
If anyone suspects that waste crime is taking place in your community, contact our 24/7 hotline on 0800 80 70 60 or report it anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.