Fly-tippers who illegally dumped used tyres on land in King's Cross have been given jail sentences following an investigation by Islington Council.
Malcolm Regan, Michael Briggs and Anthony Gustave were caught at the site near the Channel Tunnel rail link in York Way in May 2009.
Council investigators had managed to track the vehicle they were using and then alerted police, who arrested the three men at the scene. About 3,000 tyres were found dumped at the site.
All three defendants pleaded guilty to two counts of depositing controlled waste in York Way in May 2009, in breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
It is believed to be the largest-scale prosecution involving the dumping of tyres ever brought by a local authority under the act.
Regan also admitted four counts of failing to provide evidence that tyres had been disposed of via an authorised or licensed site, relating to a separate investigation by Tower Hamlets Council.
Regan, 44, of Bow, E3, was sentenced to four months in prison.
Briggs, 29, of Bethnal Green, E2, and Gustave, 32, of Hackney, E8, were given three months' imprisonment suspended for two years, with 120 hours community service and curfew conditions. They were also ordered to pay costs of £250 each.
Cllr Paul Smith, Islington Council's executive member for environment, said: "Fly-tipping is ugly, selfish, often dangerous and we will prosecute offenders.
"Also, it's usually taxpayers or landowners who end up being stuck with the clean-up bill. This is not a victimless crime.
"This is excellent work from our investigation team, and fly-tippers be warned - we will take action."
Because the tyres were dumped on private land, the land owner had to pay to have the tyres removed, a clean-up bill of approximately £11,000.
The investigation was led by Islington Council's environmental investigations team.
Page Last Updated: 12 August 2010