The owner of a caravan park and equestrian centre has been fined over £13,000 for obstructing government officers during inspections.
The Environment Agency (EA) reported receiving information in August 2023 regarding the illegal dumping of waste at Golden Valley Equestrian Centre, near Alfreton, Derbyshire.
When officers visited the site on 11 and 16 August, the site’s owner, Darren Lee Fretwell, was described as “extremely abusive and hostile” while preventing the officers from carrying out their inspection duties.
At Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court, Fretwell was ordered to pay £13,509 after pleading guilty to two counts of obstructing an authorised officer in the performance of their duties.
‘Unacceptable’ Behaviour
The EA explained that during their visit on 11 August, an unmarked tipper truck carrying waste refused to stop when instructed by an officer, after Fretwell advised the driver not to comply. He also prohibited the use of excavators to investigate the soil to determine what had been dumped beneath the surface.
Additionally, Fretwell refused to provide waste transfer documents detailing the rubbish brought to the site.
When EA officers returned on 16 August at Fretwell’s invitation, they needed access to a neighbouring site, Wallis Gorse, on Long Lane in Golden Valley, which is also owned by Fretwell. Despite his objections, the officers proceeded to inspect the site. However, Fretwell again refused to provide documentation, including waste transfer notes or delivery records for piles of sand mixed with shredded tire rubber.
In mitigation, Fretwell, of Golden Valley Caravan Park, Alfreton, acknowledged that his behaviour was unacceptable.
An EA spokesperson commented, “This behaviour was entirely unacceptable. The officers were performing their lawful duties to determine whether the site complied with environmental regulations. Hostility, abuse, or obstruction will not deter us from exercising our authority to protect the environment and communities, ensuring fairness across the industries we regulate.”
