Two Lancashire solicitors were fined last week after they admitted dumping sacks of office waste containing client information in the street near their office.

David Monks and Carl Santhouse, both partners at the Prestwich office of Howarth Goodman, appeared before Bury Magistrates' Court and admitted two charges of depositing controlled waste illegally and failing to prevent the escape of controlled waste, in breach of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. They were each fined £1,400 and between them ordered to pay the council's £300 costs. Charges against four other partners were dropped.


Bury Metropolitan Borough Council summonsed the six after environmental health investigators traced the rubbish to the firm, following complaints from nearby Barclays Bank. Papers found in the sacks included parts of a torn will, draft solicitors' letters and documents relating to the sale of clients' houses.



In mitigation, barrister Louise Brandon, acting for the solicitors, said the partners believed they had an arrangement with Barclays Bank to leave one bag of waste a week near the premises for collection. She said the firm routinely shredded documents but no system was failsafe and it has now employed a company to remove its waste.


Mr Monks, on behalf of the firm, declined to comment other than to confirm the facts of the case.