Illegal Waste Site Boss Jailed

24 June 2011, 15:14 | Updated: 24 June 2011, 15:28

A crime boss who ran a massive illegal waste site in the Thames Valley has been jailed for four years.

Hugh O' Donnell from Reading was also sentenced for laundering the millions of pounds in profits he made.

The 64-year-old led a group that took skips and lorry loads of construction waste to the site in Aldermaston - West Berkshire - which was the size of five football pitches.

The Environment Agency arrested O' Donnell and two accomplices in 2009 after a three year investigation.

Angus Innes is the Environment Agency's Principal Solicitor: "O' Donnell's illegal waste business netted millions of pounds in profit by taking skips or lorry loads of construction and demolition waste into the Aldermaston site to be dumped in an illegal landfill.
 
"This investigation has been one of the biggest and most complex ever undertaken by the Environment Agency, using intelligence and forensic science to proactively target an organised criminal gang running an illegal waste site."
 
O'Donnell had only just been released from prison after being found guilty of possessing an illegal firearm back in 2009 when he was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court today.

He got 4 years for money-laundering and 22 months for waste offences to be served concurrently. That's the longest sentence ever handed out for this type of crime.

His accomplices Robert Evans, 59, and Peter Lavelle, 28, both from Reading, got 2 years and 18 months respectively for money-laundering, and 14 months and 12 month respectively for waste offences - all to be served concurrently.