A PART-TIME farmer and occasional haulage operator was yesterday given a two-year suspended sentence and fined €1,500 after he admitted dumping about 1,000 tyres in a remote forestry in north Cork.
Timmy Gleeson (28), Buffanoka, Cappamore, Co Limerick, pleaded guilty at Cork Circuit Criminal Court to three offences relating to the transport and dumping of the tyres at Milleenduff, Rockchapel, Co Cork, on dates between September 23rd and October 13th, 2008.
Cork County Council environmental officer Stephen O’Sullivan told how the council were contacted by a local man in Rockchapel who was concerned that the tyres were polluting his water supply and they began an investigation into how the tyres were dumped there.
Mr O’Sullivan said they traced the tyres to two garages in Moyross and Garryowen in Limerick city and that both had used the same person to collect and dispose of the used tyres, namely Gleeson. They interviewed Gleeson on November 8th, 2008, and he admitted disposing of the tyres at Milleenduff in Rockchapel. Gleeson also admitted that he charged €1 per tyre for disposal and that he had no licence to dispose of the waste.
Judge Patrick Moran noted that the penalty for the offences was up to 10 years in jail and/or fines up to €15 million but he accepted that Gleeson had saved the State what could have proven to be a difficult trial by his plea of guilty.
He also noted that Gleeson had no previous convictions.