The highest fine ever imposed in Northern Ireland for an environmental offence has been handed down to the operator of an illegal landfill site in Co Down.
Fines totalling £22,000 were imposed on Mr Neil Rooney, the operator of an illegal site at Ballytrustan Road, Downpatrick, it was revealed today
The penalty was imposed at Downpatrick Magistrates Court following an investigation of the illegal site by the Department of Environment (DOE) and Heritage Service.
The court head that during their investigation Mr Rooney was found to have illegally dumped a large amount of domestic and commercial waste on his land. Some of it was later found to have originated in the Republic.
In addition to the illegal waste, large volumes of agricultural slurry had been dumped onto the site. Both the slurry and contaminated liquid from the illegal landfill were running freely off the site and badly polluting nearby streams, said the DOE.
Mr Rooney was prosecuted for both causing water pollution and for illegally dumping waste on his land.
The accused did not attend court and was not legally represented when his actions were said to have caused serious pollution, which was likely to cause continuing environmental problems for years to come unless the waste was removed.
He was fined £10,000 on the pollution charge and £12,00 on the illegal waste charge, plus costs.
Mr Richard Rogers, chief executive of the Northern Ireland Environment and Heritage Service said: "This record fine sends out a very clear message to those who pollute and despoil our environment that such behaviour will not be tolerated.
"Environment and Heritage Service will continue to bring those who cause wanton environmental damage before the courts, using all the powers at our disposal," said Mr Rogers.