Jury told of illegal waste dumping

HUNDREDS of tonnes of controlled waste was illegally dumped on the site of a former West Lothian coal mine, a jury has been told.

The potentially polluting material was tipped at Woodend Colliery then buried, it has been claimed.

Gary Doonin, 47, of Blantyre, near Glasgow, and his Cambuslang-based company Doonin Plant Ltd deny eight charges concerning controlled waste at the site near Armadale between January 17 and February 11, 2010.

Shona McJanet, prosecuting, said at Livingston Sheriff Court yesterday that “industrial quantities” of waste – more than 270 tonnes of it – had been dumped over four days.

John Hamilton QC, defending, said not enough evidence had been gathered to convict Doonin.

The jury was expected to reach a verdict today.