A man has been handed a four-month jail sentence for contempt of court after proceedings were brought against him for unauthorised use of land.

Stuart Allen, 53, of no fixed abode and formerly of Keepers Paddock, Middlemarsh, appeared at Salisbury High Court on Tuesday (21).

He was jailed for four months in prison after failing to comply with a number of injunction orders made by the court.

West Dorset District Council (WDDC) took legal action against Mr Allen relating to the misuse of land at Keepers Paddock, Middlemarsh in Dorset. 

WDDC said Mr Allen unlawfully used the land for residential and business use when the could only lawfully be used for agriculture.

They said he further committed a number of breaches of terms including failure to clear the land of items relating to an unauthorised business, attempts to deal with his interest in the land and failure to provide information to the council in relation to such dealings.

The court heard the council first issued a planning enforcement notice against Mr Allen in 2013, requiring him to cease residential and business use of the land and remove all associated items. 

WDDC said the business use involved the storage, distribution and recycling of vegetable oil and caused contamination and pollution of the land and the land of his neighbours.

Due to Mr Allen’s non-compliance an injunction was applied for and granted on October 19, 2015.

Mr Allen continued to reside on the land periodically and to store oils and numerous containers of varying sizes associated with an unauthorised business.  

The council said they were forced to take direct action to clear the land in June 2016 at a cost of £64,553.45. 

WDDC added Mr Allen made this operation more difficult by digging holes on the land and filling them with oil and human waste. 

Arising from the continuing injunction breach the council commenced committal proceedings against Mr Allen for contempt of court, which were first heard before the High Court on December 15. 

Committal proceedings were adjourned twice due to Mr Allen not being legally represented before they were finally heard on November 21, 2017. 

Mr. Allen’s legal representative presented as mitigation Mr Allen was poorly educated and could not read or write. 

However, Judge Parkes QC found Mr Allen knew what was required of him and knowingly disobeyed court orders over a period of two years at significant cost to the council and the public. 

Mr Allen did not challenge the evidence brought by WDDC and the Judge found that the council had proved the breaches against him. 

He was sentenced to four months in jail.