Fined €2,000 for faulty septic tank

NIGEL TOMKINS from Ballinacur, Courtown was saddled with a €2,000 fine plus a bill for legal costs as he failed to show at Gorey District Court to deal with a prosecution arising from a faulty septic tank.

The court learned that the missing defendant appeared to have done nothing to deal with the effluent problems at his home since Wexford County Council officials first inspected at the start of 2016.

Ian Plunkett from the local authority’s environment section told how he noted the septic tank failing to operate properly in January of that year.

Effluent was seen coming out the top of the tank and the untreated, or inadequately treated, liquid was free to drain into a local water course.

Tomkins was requested to put the matter right but more than a year later he informed the council he did not have the money to carry out the work required.

A further inspection was conducted in August of last year when effluent ponds were observed, while effluent was being discharged into a surface water drain.

The witness felt that the tank had not been emptied of sludge as required and that the situation was a health hazard to children and animals.

Judge Kevin Staunton observed that such a dangerous situation could not be allowed to continue.

It seemed to him that Tomkins had put his head in the sand as he was not engaging with the authorities on the issue.

The fine of €2,000 was handed down, along with a bill for costs of €1,299.90.