A man appeared in court on Tuesday 1 July charged with fly-tipping offences in Watery Lane, Lichfield.
Darren Sheen, 39, and the company of which he is a director, Fusion Engineering (Staffordshire) Limited, faced multiple charges at Cannock Magistrates Court following a prosecution we have pursued.
Mr Sheen, of Grange Road, Uttoxeter, confirmed his name, address and date of birth and offered no indication of plea in response to the charges (a complete list of the charges is below).
A huge pile of waste was fly-tipped in Watery Lane overnight between Sunday 19 January and Monday 20 January 2025. It was more than 20 metres in length, two metres in height, weighed in excess of 27 tonnes and blocked the lane to residents and businesses.
Our officers immediately arranged for the waste to be cleared, which cost nearly £10,000, and launched an investigation to find out who was responsible.
Magistrates today committed the case for trial at Stafford Crown Court where Mr Sheen, who was granted unconditional bail, will appear on 4 August 2025.
A person found guilty of fly-tipping offences of this nature can receive a custodial sentence of between 1 and 3 years.
The charges are as follows:
Darren Sheen
1. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs you intentionally and without lawful authority or reasonable excuse caused waste to be on a road at Watery Lane in Lichfield in such circumstances that it would be obvious to a reasonable person that to do so would be dangerous. Contrary to s.22A of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
2. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs you did deposit or knowingly cause controlled waste to be deposited on land at Watery Lane in Lichfield without an environment permit authorising its deposit being in force and disposed of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health. Contrary to s.33(1)(a) & (c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
3. On or around Sunday 19th January at approximately 2300hrs, you drove a mechanically propelled vehicle dangerously on a road at Watery Lane in Lichfield. Contrary to s.2 of the Road Traffic Act 1988.
4. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs you failed without reasonable excuse to record any data on recording equipment or on a driver card. Contrary to s.99ZE of the Transport Act 1968.
5. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs, without lawful authority or excuse, you wilfully obstructed the free passage along a highway at Watery Lane in Lichfield for approximately 38 hours. Contrary to s.137(1) Highways Act 1980.
6. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs you failed to comply with your duty as a person who carries, keep, treats or disposes of controlled waste to take all such measures applicable as are reasonable in the circumstances to prevent a contravention of section 33 and to prevent the escape of the waste from your control by depositing the waste at Watery Lane in Lichfield. Contrary to s.34(1)(b) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
7. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs at Watery Lane in Lichfield you failed to comply with your duty as a person who carries and disposes of controlled waste to take all such measures applicable as are reasonable in the circumstances to secure that on the transfer of the waste, that the transfer is only to an authorised person by depositing the same on a road namely Watery Lane, Lichfield. Contrary to s.34(1)(c)(i) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
8. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs, at Watery Lane, being a made-up carriageway in Lichfield, did without lawful authority or excuse, deposit rubbish and other things to the interruption of any user of that highway. Contrary to s.148(a) Highways Act 1980.
Fusion Engineering (Staffordshire) Limited
1. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs the Defendant, did deposit controlled waste or knowingly permitted controlled waste to be deposited on land at Watery Lane in Lichfield without an environment permit authorising its deposit being in force and did dispose of controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm to the environment or harm to human health. Contrary to s.33(1)(a) & (c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
2. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs the Defendant, failed to comply with the duty of any person who imports, produces, carries, keeps, treats, or disposes of controlled waste to take all such measures applicable to them in that capacity as are reasonable in the circumstances to prevent the contravention of section 33 and to prevent the escape of the waste from their control at Watery Lane in Lichfield. Contrary to s.34(1)(b) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
3. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs at Watery Lane in Lichfield the Defendant, failed to comply with its duty as a person who carries and disposes of controlled waste to take all such measures applicable in that capacity as are reasonable in the circumstances to secure that on the transfer of the waste, that the transfer is only to an authorised person. Contrary to s.34(1)(a)&(c)&(6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990
4. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs, without lawful authority or excuse, you wilfully obstructed the free passage along a highway at Watery Lane in Lichfield for approximately 38 hours. Contrary to s.137(1) Highways Act 1980
5. On or around Sunday 19th January 2025 at approximately 2300hrs, at Watery Lane, being a made-up carriageway in Lichfield, did without lawful authority or excuse, deposit rubbish and other things to the interruption of any user of that highway. Contrary to s.148(a) Highways Act 1980