Hazardous Asbestos Stored Near School and Girl Guide Centre by Swindler
A swindler who deceived numerous clients by falsely claiming to dispose of hazardous asbestos across more than 40 towns and cities in England has been instructed to reimburse £82,100 and handed a suspended sentence.
Lee Charles, aged 40, of Caldicot Gardens in Grantham, Lincolnshire, stored the toxic asbestos waste in rented storage containers located at Welbourn, Lincolnshire. This storage site was situated just 200 metres away from a school and in proximity to a Girl Guide centre.
Deceit
Operating under the guise of Lincs Demolition Limited, Charles duped clients into believing he was licensed to remove asbestos, securing profitable contracts from Dorking to Doncaster over a two-year period. However, he lacked the legal authorisation to undertake such work.
His illicit activities were uncovered when he defaulted on the rent for the storage containers, leading to their forcible opening. Subsequently, he shifted his operations to an unauthorised waste site 16 miles away near Sleaford.
Following his criminal activities, the Environment Agency conducted a financial investigation to assess the lawful costs he evaded.
Guilty Plea
Charles pleaded guilty to defrauding customers through false documentation and misleading information. In a court hearing at Lincoln Crown Court in May), he was compelled to pay substantial sums under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Estimated Cost of £600 Million to the UK
Paul Salter, an Environmental Waste Crime Officer at the Environment Agency, emphasised the gravity of Charles' offences: “Lee Charles’ actions were not only unlawful but also posed serious risks. The order for him to reimburse underscores the resolute message that waste-related crime carries consequences."
Salter continued: “Through environmental legislation and the Proceeds of Crime legislation, we ensure that wrongdoers are stripped of their gains from illegal activities. We stand by legitimate enterprises, actively intervening to halt criminal elements and backing up our efforts with robust enforcement measures, as demonstrated in this case."
He further emphasised the Agency's commitment to targeting severe crimes based on intelligence and employing effective interventions to combat such activities.
In 2015, illegal waste activities were estimated to incur costs exceeding £600 million in England, with the total for the entire UK likely to be considerably higher.
The Environment Agency's permitting system and regulations aim to facilitate responsible business operations while preventing irresponsible or unlawful entities from undercutting lawful enterprises.