Paul Doherty jailed over Derry’s Mobuoy illegal dump
Paul Doherty, 67, of Culmore Road, admitted seven charges between 2007 and 2013 relating to the contaminated Mobuoy dump at Campsie, outside Derry, and was sentenced to one year in prison for his role in Derry’s ‘blot on the landscape’.
Co-defendant Gerard Farmer, 56, of Westlake, pleaded guilty to three charges between 2011 and 2013 and was jailed for 21 months.
Over 600,000 tonnes of waste was secretly buried at a huge illicit dump on the outskirts of Derry.
The combined commercial and financial benefits for both men ran to more than £40 million.
Rubbish was sent to Mobuoy in lorries to be recycled – but the waste was instead shredded and burned.
The Recorder of Derry Crown Court Judge Neil Rafferty KC said both defendants had “acted deliberately” and been “entirely motivated by financial gain”.
Sentencing the two defendants, who had previously pleaded guilty to waste offences, Judge Rafferty told Derry Crown Court: “The time has long passed where those who commit environmental crime motivated by greed can expect to walk free from the consequences of their actions.”
Sentencing of Waste management company City Industrial Waste Ltd of 60 Mobuoy Road, Campsie, BT47 3JQ which pleaded guilty to three offences, has been deferred to a later date as part of the Proceeds of Crime process.
Derry and Strabane Council has previously been told it could cost up to an eye watering £100 million to clean up Derry’s ‘blot on the landscape’.
Commenting on the conclusion of the case, Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir said: “This was an abhorrent environmental crime of unprecedented proportions carried out over many years as part of a deliberate and sophisticated operation by criminals seeking to profit from the illegal disposal of controlled waste.
“Despite the complexity, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency worked with the Public Prosecution Service to build a case against the defendants, who pled guilty in the face of the evidence presented.”
Parallel to the criminal investigation the NIEA Financial Investigation & Business Support Branch is continuing its financial investigation into the three defendants under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
Minister Muir intends to soon launch a public consultation on the draft Remediation Strategy for the Mobuoy site.
Following an industry standard process, this draft strategy, has been developed by the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA), alongside specialist contaminated land experts and will focus on the long-term remediation of the site.
The draft strategy’s key objectives are protection of River Faughan water quality, protection of the Northern Ireland Water drinking water supply and improvement of groundwater quality.
Minister Muir continued: “Looking to the long-term future of the Mobuoy site, I have approved the launch of a consultation on the draft Remediation Strategy which will now commence as soon as possible.
It will cost £100 million to clean up dump at Mobuoy near Derry
“Work to achieve a more streamlined and effective penalty regime for environmental crimes is also being progressed.”
As well as pursuing those who carried out these crimes, safeguarding public health and protecting the water quality of the River Faughan have been of utmost importance.
NIEA say it continues to implement a comprehensive Environmental Monitoring Programme (EMP) at the site, which includes site and riverbank inspections, surface water and groundwater monitoring, together with daily laboratory testing of water quality.
To date, it says, there has been no adverse impact on the safety of drinking water supplied from the river.
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