By Shaurya Shaurya
Copyright walesonline
Two men removed waste from a town’s supermarket in a loaned van before illegally dumping it, a court has heard. The pair from Port Talbot have been made subject to Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) and given suspended jail terms for repeat fly tipping offences. Michael Joseph Quilligan, 22, of Western Avenue, Sandfields and Steven Gilheaney, 26, of Radnor House, Sandfields, were sentenced at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on September 18, 2025. The court was told that a large amount of waste was found dumped at an area in Sandfields, Port Talbot, known as the “OId BP Site” on September 1, 2023. The waste contained paperwork, boxes and plastic strips— and was found by a council Waste Enforcement Team officer after a member of public reported it. Stay informed on everything Neath Port Talbot by signing up to our newsletter here When investigated, it was found that both Quilligan and Gilheaney removed the waste from a Port Talbot supermarket and from an address in Swansea using a loaned van. Both admitted to illegally depositing the waste at the OId BP Site. The court was told that during a visit to “fly-tipping hotspots” in Neath Port Talbot , on November 28, 2023 a waste enforcement officer discovered a large amount of mixed garden, construction and household waste at land near Water Street in Margam. Waste Enforcement officers, then interviewed Quilligan who admitted that both he and Gilheaney removed the waste from an address in Pontardawe. Both men once again admitted to illegally depositing controlled waste. Then on January 20, 2025, waste enforcement officers discovered that a large amount of household and construction waste was dumped at a land between Enfield Street and Borough Street in Aberavon. The waste was found to have been removed from a house in Cwmavon. This time, after an investigation by the Waste Enforcement Team, Quilligan admitted to illegally depositing controlled waste. Sentencing the duo, Swansea Magistrates’ Court imposed a CBO on both the men for two years, and gave them each with a 16-week jail term suspended for 12 months. Both the men were told to pay £1,465.38 each in prosecution costs along with a £154 victim impact surcharge paid by both individually. On the direction of the Probation Service, Quilligan and Gilheaney were also told to complete a 15-day Rehabilitation Requirement. The CBO was in response to an application by Neath Port Talbot Council’s Waste Enforcement Section, and prevents the duo from collecting and transporting waste for the next two years. The two-year CBO states the men, “save for when employed by a scrap metal business, not to collect waste from within NPT, not to transport waste within NPT and not to be in a vehicle transporting waste within NPT.” Neath Port Talbot Council’s cabinet member for Streetscene, Scott Jones, said: “I want to congratulate our Waste Enforcement Team for yet again bringing before the courts those who seriously damage our environment by dumping waste. “It’s clear the courts are taking these offences seriously with the sentences, fines and Criminal Behaviour Order imposed in this case.” It follows other cases of fly-tipping in Wales, with an investigation being launched after a woman was seen throwing household waste into the River Usk. In a separate incident, a pair of fly tippers were asked to pay up after dumping waste at a North Wales beauty spot. Get daily breaking news updates on your phone by joining our WhatsApp community here . We occasionally treat members to special offers, promotions and ads from us and our partners. See our Privacy Notice
