The owner of a waste company has been given a suspended jail sentence for illegally storing more than 84 thousand old tyres at sites in Exeter, Tiverton, Dawlish and other parts of Devon.
Plymouth Crown Court heard that Andrew Mayhew got paid to collect waste tyres but then abandoned them at premises he leased.
These included a unit in Exeter's Hill Barton business park and another in Dawlish.
Around 300 tonnes of tyres ended up buried at a farm in Tiverton.
He also left the owners of four sites with unpaid rent, and the cost of removing the tyres themselves.
He had received advice and warnings from the Environment Agency, but was abusive and threatening - and ignored their guidance.
In court he pleaded guilty to five offences of running a waste operation without the necessary permits - and was given a 15 month jail term suspended for two years and a two year supervision order.
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