THE former owners of the scrap yards where two fires raged in 2013 and 2014 have admitted environmental offences.

Lee and David Averies had been due to face a lengthy trial at Swindon Crown Court in connection with activities at their skip and recycling companies.

But after Judge Sir John Royce indicated that they would not go to prison should they admit the offences, they changed their pleas to guilty.

Lee, 46, and David, 39, admitted allowing their companies: Swindon Skips Ltd, based at Bradley Close, and Averies Recycling, based at Marshgate, to commit offences.

They accepted that between November 2013 and February 2015 ‘by their consent, connivance or neglect’ they allowed them to breach the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The charges say they kept, treated or disposed of controlled waste on the sites in a manner likely to cause pollution of the environment or harm to human health through the effects of odour, waste, leachate run off, smoke and fire, by reason of the site’s poor management, insufficient infrastructure and volume of waste stored on the site.

Sailesh Mehta, prosecuting for the Environment Agency, said they would not seek a trial on the other allegations and will ask them to lie on the file.

The pair denied causing a company to exceed an environmental permit by having excess waste at the Marshgate site between November 2013 and March 2015.

They also pleaded not guilty to causing a company to contravete an environmental permit in the form of security at both sites in the year up to November 2014.

The brothers and denied the storage of waste outside the geographical area allowed by the permit at Bradley Close between November 2013 and November 2014.

Lee also pleaded guilty to a similar charge in connection with offences committed at another of his businesses; Calne Aggregates Holdings Ltd.

The firm also admitted the offence and both denied a string of other regulatory offences, which will also lie on the file.

They relate to activities at the Abberd Land Transfer Station in Calne, where the company is based.

The judge adjourned the cases to Wednesday, October 26, when the brothers and Calne Aggregates are to face sentence.

Mr Mehta said prosecutors also plan to pursue Lee Averies under the Proceeds of Crime Act in a bid to recoup any profit from crime.

He said they would also be seeking a criminal behaviour order, similar to an Asbo, to restrict his liberties.

One fire burned at Swindon Skips for several days in November 2013 while another at Averies Recycling was alight for two months in the summer of 2014.

The charges at the Calne site related to breaches of their permit which increased the risk of pollution and harm to human health and, in particular, the risk of polluting run-off from the waste especially in the event of a fire.

The judge released Lee, of The Marsh, Wanborough, and David, of Dydale Road, Swindon, on bail.

In 2103 Averies Recycling (Swindon) Ltd, based at Marshgate, admitted causing a nuisance to neighbouring business with dust generated from their waste operation.

The firm also pleaded guilty to operating a waste transfer station without and environmental permit.

Lee, an officer of the firm, admitted causing the company to commit the dust offence by neglecting to ensure appropriate measures were in place, or followed, to control dust escaping from the site.

The company was fined £11,000 with £60,000 costs. Lee Averies was ordered to pay £2,000 and the company also agreed to implement a raft of measures at the site.