Crown Court appearance for bankrupt businessman

In court was James Joseph Heaney (44), a bankrupt businessman of Spruce Meadows, who pleaded guilty to keeping waste likely to cause harm.

In court Heaney admitted two charges of keeping controlled waste and two further charges of keeping waste likely to cause harm to the environment or human health.

The offences were committed between July 1, 2008 and October 9, 2009.

The Court was told that the defendant had been a director of Campsie Tyre Recycling Limited at the time the offences took place and his business involved sites at Pennyburn Industrial Estate and Campsie Real Estate.

Londonderry Crown Court was told that a total of 405,000 tyres were stored between the two sites kept by the defendant, and that they had a value of around £121,000.

The tyres were destroyed by fires, however, Heaney was not charged in connection with them.

During the Crown Court hearing it was revealed that the maximum sentence for the offences was five years imprisonment.

Sentencing was adjourned for a probation pre-sentence report.

Heaney was released on bail and will appear in court again on June 18.