A man who ran illegal waste operations at three separate sites across Wales has been sentenced and ordered to repay £322,500 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Stephen John Williams, 69 from Tondu, Bridgend, was the sole owner of two waste removal companies, Wenvoe Environmental Limited Ltd and Servmax Ltd.
Between October 2018 and October 2019, Mr Williams organised the illegal deposit of 2,600 tonnes of contaminated textile waste at sites in Caerphilly, Cowbridge and Dolgellau.
At Cardiff Crown Court on 3 October 2025, Mr Williams was sentenced to 21 months imprisonment suspended for 2 years, following a successful prosecution by Natural Resources Wales (NRW). He must also complete five rehabilitation activity days.
The charges against Mr Williams and his companies included operating waste sites without environmental permits, mixing and storing contaminated waste, and failing to take proper steps as a waste broker to prevent illegal deposits by others.
At Pen Yr Heol Las Farm in Caerphilly, NRW officers discovered 1,843 tonnes of baled textile waste contaminated with general refuse.
Mr Williams had claimed it was intended for equine purposes, but it was deemed unsuitable and posed a significant fire risk. Despite being served with a legal notice to remove the waste, Mr Williams failed to comply.
In Cowbridge, 260 tonnes of similar waste were found at a unit on Crossways Industrial Estate. NRW served Mr Williams with a legal notice to remove the waste to an authorised waste facility, but he failed to comply. The landowners, who had no involvement in the operation, were left to pay £48,790 to clear the waste.
At Hengwrt in Dolgellau, NRW officers found 527 tonnes of waste including clothing, carpets, foam and mattresses. Again, Williams failed to comply with a legal notice to clear the site.
Su Fernandez, Senior Enforcement Officer for NRW said:
“Businesses that move, store or broker waste must do so responsibly and within the law. When individuals choose to ignore these rules, the consequences can be serious.
“In this case, Stephen Williams demonstrated a sustained disregard for environmental law. The waste posed a significant fire risk and left landowners facing substantial clean-up costs. Despite being served with legal notices, Mr Williams failed to take action.
“We welcome the outcome of this case and hope it sends a clear message that NRW will not tolerate the illegal disposal of waste. We will pursue offenders through the courts where necessary and use powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act to recover the profits made from environmental crime.”
Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the court determined that Mr Williams to have benefitted £470,189.41 from his environmental crimes based on income from the unlawful deposit of waste across three sites, the avoided landfill tax costs, and interest accrued since 2019.
The court identified Mr Williams’ available assets, primarily equity in property, valued at £322,500 and was ordered to repay that amount within three months. Failure to do so will result in a custodial sentence of three years and six months, which cannot be suspended.
The court also confirmed that the outstanding balance will remain enforceable and prosecutors may apply to recover further funds if Mr Williams acquires new assets in the future. The full criminal benefit figure remains recoverable until paid in full or until his death.
To report an environmental incident, contact NRW’s 24/7 incident communications centre via the online report it form, or call on 0300 065 3000.
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