The Environment Agency has successfully prosecuted a man for obstructing officers in the course of their duty at a site near Alfreton in Derbyshire.
At Southern Derbyshire Magistrates Court in Derby on 13 September 2024, Darren Lee Fretwell of Golden Valley Caravan Park, Coach Road, Alfreton was fined £2,239. He was also ordered to pay costs of £11,272.
The case against the driver of a lorry which had failed to stop for officers was withdrawn.
Fretwell, who is the landowner of Golden Valley Equestrian Centre and Golden Valley Caravan and Camping Park, admitted 2 charges of obstruction.
The court was told that in August 2023 Environment Agency officers received information that waste was being tipped on land at Golden Valley Equestrian Centre, in Golden Valley near Alfreton.
On 11 August 2023, an unmarked 8-wheel tipper lorry that had deposited waste on site failed to stop when instructed by an Environment Agency officer.
Fretwell had told the driver not to stop and to drive past the officer.
During the same visit, Fretwell also refused to permit excavators which were present at Golden Valley Equestrian Centre to scrape back top layers of soil to examine what had been deposited beneath.
Also on 11 August, Fretwell refused to provide waste transfer notes relating to waste which had been brought onto site when requested by an Environment Agency officer.
On 16 August 2023, the Environment Agency officers returned to Golden Valley Equestrian Centre, at the invitation of Fretwell, to conduct a follow up inspection.
In the course of the visit, officers considered they needed to visit a neighbouring site also owned by Fretwell. This site is known as Wallis Gorse, and is on Long Lane, Golden Valley. After some resistance to this from Fretwell, the officers visited that site.
This is where Fretwell again obstructed officers. He refused to provide waste transfer notes or delivery tickets relating to piles of sand containing shredded tyre rubber which were present.
During visits on both 11 August and 16 August, Fretwell was extremely abusive and hostile towards the officers. On the second visit on 16 August 2023, this behaviour was captured on body worn video, which was played in court.
In mitigation, Fretwell said that he recognised that his behaviour on the 2 dates in question was unacceptable.
Speaking after the hearing, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “This behaviour was totally unacceptable. Officers were carrying out their lawful duties to establish whether the site was acting in accordance with environmental regulations.
“Hostile, abusive or obstructive behaviour such as that demonstrated in this case will not deter us from exercising our powers to protect the environment and communities and ensure a level playing field across the industries we regulate.”
