Roy Brett, owner of RJ Brett Contracts Ltd, has been given a six-month suspended sentence at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court after admitting four breaches of environmental law. The 66-year-old was warned repeatedly to clear his cluttered skip hire site in Cressing, near Braintree, Essex, which the Environment Agency (EA) said posed a risk to human safety.
Between 2024 and 2026, the yard in Lanham Green Road accumulated almost 50 skips and piles of wood, metal, and soil. The EA stated that Brett did not have a permit to manage the site, and it lacked sealed drainage, creating a risk to human safety. The overflowing skips were also described as a fire risk.
An investigation began in July 2024 following concerns about the mess and its smell. Essex County Fire & Rescue Service also urged Brett to take action. Lesley Robertson, EA enforcement team leader, said the operation undercut rivals by avoiding permitting and subsistence fees, and that Brett and his company evaded permit conditions designed to protect the environment.
Brett, of Winstree Road, Stanway, admitted four offences in April, including keeping controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution or harm. His company also pleaded guilty to four breaches. The prison sentence was suspended for 18 months on 30 July, and he was ordered to undergo 30 days of rehabilitation activities and pay a £154 victim surcharge. He faces being sent to prison if the yard is not cleared by November.