‘Acts of blatant dishonesty’ by waste director
A DIRECTOR of a company planning to reopen a rubbish tip next to a top Yorkshire golf academy has previously admitted to “acts of blatant dishonesty” over waste disposal practices at another site he ran in the county, court documents reveal.
In a 2009 civil court ruling, His Honour Judge Behrens said Martin Hague had made a number of admissions in relation to the way he practised at a site on Carlisle Street in Sheffield.
Mr Hague is now a director of Grange Landfill Ltd, a company established in November 2015, which has been granted a permit to reopen a tip near the Peter Cowen Golf Academy in Rotherham despite widespread local opposition.
In the 2009 ruling that related to a family dispute about the ownership of a different company, Judge Behrens said: “In the course of his evidence Martin accepted that the tonnage of waste passing through his tips including Carlisle Street exceeded the tonnage permitted on his waste disposal licence by a substantial amount.
“In his witness statement he used the word ‘grossly’.
“He further admitted that over a number of years he had submitted returns to the appropriate authority containing information that he knew to be wrong.”
Also in the ruling, Judge Behrens said: “In cross-examination Martin admitted that he told lies to business people, to local authorities, and to the Revenue for the purpose of evading tax. Numerous examples were given and accepted by Martin in the course of his cross-examination.”
In a separate court judgement issued by Mr Justice Norris last year, the judge said of Mr Hague: “Martin has made no secret of his dishonesty.”
He said that when questioned about his business practices and those of his relatives, Mr Hague had told the court: “I accept that I have tried hard to advance us all, and if this has involved telling lies and deceit and false documents then I have done it. And it is all I have done all my life. But they cannot hold their heads up. They did it too.”
Justice Norris said he believed this answer to be accurate.
“I do not think Martin is a ruthless businessman attempting to drag his scrupulously honest siblings into a mire of alleged dishonesty,” he said.
An Environment Agency spokesman said steps will be taken to ensure permit conditions are met at the Rotherham site.
“The Environment Agency’s role as an environmental regulator is to ensure that any waste facility in operation will not place the environment or communities at risk of harm,” he said.
“In varying the existing environmental permit for Grange Landfill Ltd we have included new conditions to ensure the environment is protected.
“The permit requires the operator to carry out environmental monitoring before the waste disposal can resume, and once the landfill becomes operational only inert material will be allowed to be brought onto the site. Historical waste on the site will not be disturbed.
“Our officers will monitor the operation to ensure that the permit conditions are met. Should an operator breach its permit conditions, we take appropriate action in line with our policies to protect the environment and bring the site into compliance.” Despite repeated efforts by
Mr Hague declined to comment on the admissions made in the court hearings.