A TRIAL date has been set for two defendants in a case related to a massive fire at a northeastern plastics recycling plant that has resulted in nearby residents being told to stay inside and shut down. windows and doors.
Laura Hepburn and Jonathan Guy Brudenell have yet to argue against charges brought by the Environment Agency following an investigation into a fire at the Greenology plant in Liverton Mines, east Cleveland , in April 2020.
A preliminary trial date has been set at Teesside Crown Court for February 6 next year by Judge Jonathan Carroll, which could last up to ten days.
But Lee Fish, suing on behalf of the Environment Agency, said there had been preliminary discussions and “the parties’ collective opinion was that this was a potentially potentially serious matter. be resolved ”.
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It was agreed that a new hearing would take place on March 4, allowing for further legal discussions in the meantime.
Hepburn, 42, an award-winning businesswoman from Sandsend, North Yorkshire, is charged with two counts of violating environmental permits and two counts of conserving controlled waste that could contribute to the pollution or harm human health in 2019 and 2020.
His co-accused, Jonathan Guy Brudenell, 51, also from Sandsend, is charged with three offenses related to the use of environmental permits in 2018 and 2019 and one charge of possession of controlled waste that may contribute to pollution or to harm human health in 2019.
He also faces two counts of participating in the formation, control or management of a business while undergoing bankruptcy in 2018 and 2019.
Another man, Peter Waldron, of Hinton, Northallerton, director of Selective Environmental Solutions Ltd, has previously admitted a charge of violating the terms of an environmental permit at the former Greenology plant at Lantsbury Drive, between January and February 2019.
Greenology and Selective Environmental Solutions Ltd also face related charges for alleged violation of permits.
Andrew Thomas, for Hepburn, said Greenology changed its name to LM South Yorkshire Limited, with the judge asking that a copy of the Companies House documentation be provided to the court confirming the change.
Justice Carroll renewed the bail for the three defendants by adjourning the case.
The flames of the April 2020 blaze could be seen across Teesside and North Yorkshire and caused huge plumes of thick black smoke across the sky.
Protests took place at the site by villagers from Liverton Mines who said it should be closed permanently, with Greenology later saying it would not run any of its operations from there.
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