A south Armagh man has been ordered to forfeit £100,000 (€134,220) after pleading guilty to illegally dumping huge quantities of domestic waste from across the Border on his land.
Eric Hyde (66), Armagh Road, Newtownhamilton, was also given an 18-month suspended sentence when he appeared at Newry Crown Court yesterday charged with breaching waste-management and water-pollution legislation.
Hyde pleaded guilty to two offences and received a confiscation order for the £100,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The Assets Recovery Agency conducted the confiscation investigation after a referral from the Environment and Heritage Service.
The case dated back to October 2003 when Armagh Council informed the Environment and Heritage Service of suspected illegal dumping at View Point Road, Newtownhamilton.
EHS officers said r Hyde admitted giving others permission to infill the land.
A later survey revealed household waste with addresses from Wicklow, Wexford, Donegal and Cork together with construction and demolition waste.
It was estimated that more than 24,340 cubic metres of waste had been deposited on the site.
He received an 18-month sentence, suspended for three years, and the confiscation order.