Directors of a firm have been fined after dumping illegally dumping 6,000 tonnes of waste on the grounds of one of their homes.

Glenn Tamplin and Ricky Mann, of Manns Waste Management, tried to dispose of controlled waste at Mr Tamplin’s house in Abridge in early 2014.

A site the size of a football pitch, on the bank of the River Roding, was used to dump the rubbish, causing the level of the land to rise by around two metres.

The area was designed to safely hold water to prevent flooding. Dumping waste could have caused flood water to be diverted elsewhere.

Whilst conducting waste sampling at the location, Environment Agency officers discovered mixed household and commercial waste at various locations below the surface.

Some of this waste had begun degrading, causing odour and discolouration of the soil from leaching.

Since the intervention of the Environment Agency, the defendants arranged for the waste to be removed.

The pair were fined more than £100,000 when they appeared at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, September 30.

The Court found that Mr Tamplin had acted negligently to a high degree in committing the offences.

He was fined a total of £45,000 and ordered to pay £30,789 towards the cost of the investigation and prosecution.

The Judge set a period of 9 months imprisonment in default if the fine is not paid within 3 months.

Manns Waste Management Limited were found to have acted deliberately in their involvement in the offending and were fined a total of £50,000.

The company was also ordered to pay £18,648 towards the cost of the investigation and prosecution.

During sentencing other breaches by the firm at a waste transfer station in Chequers Lane, Dagenham, were also taken into account.

Emma Viner, leader of the Environment Agency’s enforcement team, said: “The operation of illegal waste sites pose significant risk to our environment, local communities and undermines legitimate business.

“The Environment Agency will not hesitate to take tough enforcement action where serious breaches of environmental legislation are identified.

“The sentences in this case reflect the seriousness with which the Environment Agency and the courts view this type of criminal offending and will hopefully act as a deterrent to others.”