A DUNAMANAGH man was fined at Strabane Magistrate's Court last week having pleaded guilty to the illegal dumping of waste on his property.

The court was told that officers from the Environmental Heritage Services visited the property of Robert Scott at Berryhill Road, Ballaghalare, Dunamanagh following reports of burning and dumping of tyres.

On their visit of May 10 they said that there was evidence of waste deposited in a field to the rear of the defendant's property, as there was no vegetation and there were signs that the soil had been disturbed.

On a subsequent visit on August 28, Scott confirmed ownership of the land, and said that he had helped his brother-in-law to clear away waste from a farm in the South. He said that around 50 tyres were buried at the site, and said that his intention was to use them for covering silage. He also confirmed he had no licence for waste management.

A third visit was made on September 20, when under supervision of EHS officials the defendant used a digger to excavate the waste material. A total of 49 tyres were dug up. It was confirmed in court that all the waste had now been removed from the site.

A defence solicitor told the court that his client made no financial gain from the matter, and no money had exchanged hands, as the waste had come from a farm belonging to his brother-in-law in Castlefin. He said the defendant had buried the tyres to put them out of sight, with the intention of using them for the purpose of covering silage.

He was fined £200 for knowingly depositing controlled waste on land without a waste management licence, and a further £200 for keeping controlled waste on land without a licence.

He was given 26 weeks to pay.