Middlesbrough woman in court over asbestos waste dumping

Melanie Gibson denies depositing controlled waste without a permit

A woman has appeared in court accused of involvement in the fly-tipping of 61 tonnes of rubbish - including two tonnes of asbestos - near a nursery.

Melanie Gibson, of Cresswell Road, Middlesbrough, is alleged to have allowed waste to be dumped at the site in Brambles Farm.

The 45-year-old denied the charges at an earlier hearing at Teesside Magistrates' Court.

She will go on trial at Teesside Crown Court on 8 July.

The allegations involve the disposal of waste at the derelict Turford Social Club next to Brambles Primary Academy and Minnow's Children's Day Nursery.

After council safety wardens uncovered the site, Middlesbrough's mayor Andy Preston said it was "one of the worst we've ever seen" in terms of fly-tipping, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

The former social club is opposite a nursery

Ms Gibson is charged with depositing controlled waste without a permit between 5 April and 9 May 2021.

She will go on trial alongside Darren Mills, who is accused in connection with the same fly-tipping offence.

The 44-year-old, of Shakespeare Avenue, is charged with depositing waste without a permit between 1 April and 3 December 2021, treating controlled waste in a manner likely to cause pollution.

Teesside Magistrates' Court was told it would not be in the public interest to hold the two trials in separate courts when there is an overlap of witnesses and evidence.