Skip Hire Operator Receives Suspended Sentence for Persistent Environmental Breaches
BRAINTREE, ESSEX – A Braintree-area skip hire business owner, Roy Brett, has been handed a 6-month suspended prison sentence following his "repeated failure" to heed warnings from the Environment Agency regarding unchecked waste accumulation and overflowing skips. His company, RJ Brett Contracts Ltd, also faced a £3,000 fine for similar offences, highlighting a persistent disregard for environmental regulations.
The ruling, delivered at Chelmsford magistrates’ court, saw Chair of the bench Andrew McGregor describe the site as posing "multiple risks to the environment and human safety, including by fire." This severe assessment underscores the gravity of Brett’s actions, which spanned from 2024 to the present year.
Roy Brett’s yard is nestled in green fields near Braintree, but he ignored repeated warnings about the amount of skips and waste built up at the site
Evidence presented in court detailed how Brett consistently refused to comply with orders to clear the escalating volume of waste overflowing from an ever-increasing number of skips at his small yard in Cressing. The site, exposed to the elements without sealed drainage, became a significant environmental hazard. It was found to be crammed with wood, metal, textiles, and builders’ rubbish, leaving hardly any space and presenting a substantial fire risk, with much of the waste simply stored on the ground.
Brett’s defense that he "didn’t do e-mails," and therefore "missed" written instructions to remove the waste, was challenged by the Environment Agency, who confirmed they had also issued personal warnings. Crucially, Brett operated without an environmental permit to manage the yard, a fundamental requirement for such a business. After initial excuses and denials, Brett eventually admitted in court to breaching environmental law.
Lesley Robertson, enforcement team leader for the Environment Agency in Essex, Norfolk, and Suffolk, commented on the case: “It wasn’t credible for an operator like Roy Brett, director of three other waste companies and years of experience, to say he misunderstood the need for an environmental permit or justify having an exemption from needing one. The operation undercut rivals by avoiding permitting and subsistence fees. They also evaded permit conditions designed to protect the environment.”
The Environment Agency’s investigation commenced in July 2024, when officers discovered over a dozen skips brimming with waste. Brett was initially given three months to clear the site. However, upon a follow-up visit after the deadline, the situation had not improved. He was then warned of impending prosecution. By early 2025, the yard was overflowing with almost 50 skips, some stacked precariously, alongside large piles of wood and soil, and concerns were raised about unpleasant odours.
Brett had attempted to legitimise his operations by registering exemptions from environmental permits, which are intended for low-risk activities. However, these exemptions were deregistered by the Environment Agency when the sheer volume of waste on site exceeded acceptable limits. Essex Fire and Rescue Service also expressed concerns, advising Brett to tidy the yard and prevent the introduction of combustible materials.
As a condition of his 6-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, 66-year-old Roy Brett, of Winstree Road, Stanway, Colchester, must clear the site by November. Failure to do so, or committing any other offences, will result in a custodial sentence. He has also been ordered to undergo 30 days of rehabilitation activities and pay a £154 victim surcharge. RJ Brett Contracts Ltd was fined £3,000 and must pay a victim surcharge of £1,200.
Both Roy Brett and RJ Brett Contracts Ltd faced multiple charges under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The company was charged with operating without a permit between July 2024 and January 2025, and again between February 2025 and January 2026, failing to comply with a notice to remove waste, and keeping controlled waste in a manner likely to cause environmental pollution or harm to human health. Roy Brett was personally charged with knowing of or contributing to these offences.
The case serves as a stark reminder of the legal and environmental responsibilities of waste management operators. The public can verify if a business holds an environmental permit for potentially harmful activities by searching the public register at: https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/index.
For further journalistic inquiries, please contact 0800 141 2743 or communications_se@environment-agency.gov.uk.
