THE director of a skip hire company stripped of its licence for flouting environmental rules has been arrested over further accusations of illegal waste dumping.

Raymond Shepherd, 57, from Albert Hill Skip Hire, in Darlington, was today (October 17) remanded in custody after being accused of depositing waste on the firm’s Dodsworth Street base without an Environment Agency permit three times.

Shepherd, of West Musgrave Farm, St Helen Auckland, and the company, were found guilty of ten charges of operating without Environment Agency licences at their Dodsworth Street and Whessoe Road bases between 2008 and 2010 after a trial at Teesside Crown Court.

Shepherd did not enter any pleas or apply for bail today at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court, and was remanded in custody to appear at court again on Friday, October 26.

Following the guilty verdict in the trial, Judge Tony Briggs deferred sentencing Shepherd and gave him bail on the condition he refrained from dumping waste at Dodsworth Street.

Lee Fish, prosecuting today on behalf of the Environment Agency, said Shepherd was allegedly seen three times by police dumping waste at the Dodsworth Street depot.

During the five-week trial, Shepherd maintained the company had an exemption from the Environment Agency and had not polluted any areas near the two depots.

He said: "We approached the Environment Agency and the officer suggested applying for an exemption which would get the job moving.

"I am as enthusiastic in avoiding pollution and even during the fire at Dodsworth Street, the water used to put it out went into the nearby river and there was never any sign of pollution."