A 29-year-old man has narrowly avoided jail for perverting the course of justice.

Durham County Council took legal action against Callum Conley, of Park Avenue in Coxhoe, to following an investigation into his Waste Carriers Licence.

Peterlee Magistrates’ Court heard that Conley had been seen carrying scrap metal in West Cornforth by a neighbourhood warden.

The warden spoke to Conley, who said he had a Waste Carriers Licence with a registered business.

However, when carrying out further checks, the warden found that, while Conley did have waste licences, none were in the name of the business he named.

The warden contacted the business, which confirmed that Conley had never worked for the company in any formal capacity.

Formal Section 108 notices requiring Conley to attend an interview were issued on four separate occasions, but Conley failed to attend any.

Magistrates were also told of a case one year previously, in which Conley had failed to provide a Waste Carrier’s Licence on several occasions, resulting in legal action being sought until a licence was eventually provided.

Peterlee Magistrates’ Court found Conley guilty of two charges of perverting the course of justice.

He was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, as well as 14 rehabilitation requirement days and 250 hours of unpaid work.

Conley was also ordered to £1,000 in costs to the council.

Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “Whether a resident, business or a waste carrier, we all have a responsibility to ensure our waste is disposed of correctly.

“While it may seem trivial, it is a legal requirement for anyone who transports controlled waste to have a licence. This small action forms part of wider efforts to prevent waste being dumped in our communities, and we will investigate those we believe to be operating without the correct licence.

“In this case, Conley’s failure to respond to initial legal proceedings resulted in him facing significant penalties, something which could have been avoided had he assisted us with our investigations.”