Illegal Waste Boss Forced to Pay Back £179k
Barry Connally, 70, has been slammed by the courts and ordered to cough up over £179,000 after raking in cash from running an illegal waste site.
Dirty Dealings at Rhino Recycling
Connally, of Chaceley, Gloucester, was the boss of Rhino Recycling Limited. From March 2013 to December 2015, he ran a waste treatment facility at the QinetiQ Industrial Estate in Pershore without the proper Environmental Permit.
In 2019, he was handed a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months and ordered to complete 160 hours of unpaid work. The judge blasted him for putting profit first and showing an ‘arrogant approach to the regulatory regime.’
Environment Agency Cracks Down
The Environment Agency took things further by seizing proceeds of crime. Worcester Crown Court revealed Connally hid behind Rhino Recycling’s company facade to cover his tracks in the dodgy operation.
He made over £1 million through the illegal waste business but has now been told to pay back every penny of his available assets – £179,373.36.
Contempt of Court and More Trouble
Connally also admitted he broke court rules by moving and selling some assets between 2019 and 2020. For this contempt of court, he was handed another 4-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “This case shows we’re not just content to prosecute those who run illegal waste sites, we’ll also come after them to get back the profits they made from their illegal activities and to recoup taxpayers’ money spent on pursuing them.”
