THE former boss of Ivory Plant Hire, John Bruce, has been sent to prison for six months for failing to keep a promise he made to a court to stop tipping.

Bruce, aged 29, of Enid Blyton Corner, Droitwich, who formerly ran Ivory Plant Hire Limited and Ivory Plant and Haulage from the Crabbe Yard, Besford Road, Wadborough, was found to be in contempt of court and sentenced by Judge Michael Mott at Worcester County Court last Monday.

Neighbours had complained about tipping at Badger's Hill, Bishampton Bank, Sheriff's Lench, designated a Special Wildlife Site for its nature conservation value.

The county council obtained an emergency injunction from Worcester County Court on January 14 to stop the tipping.

That led to Bruce's undertaking to the court on March 27 to cease, but residents subsequently reported that tipping operations were continuing at the site.

Judge Mott said that he had taken into consideration Bruce's guilty pleas to five charges of breaking the undertaking, but even on that basis it was one of the most flagrant and persistent breaches of an undertaking he had ever seen and a substantial custodial sentence was inevitable.

Costs were awarded to the county council.

In a statement afterwards, the county council said: "Unfortunately it seems there are contractors who are prepared to deliberately breach planning and other environmental regulations for considerable profit.

"The action of the court has demonstrated that such unlawful activities will not be tolerated.

"The county council takes its role in protecting local communities very seriously. This sort of unauthorised activity causes unacceptable harm and nuisance to local residents, causes considerable damage to local wildlife and is unfair on other contractors who use proper sites.

"The decision should make anyone involved in illegal tipping think very carefully about what they are getting themselves into."