Hearings occurring on Monday 18 and Tuesday 19 September.

Four hearings will take place at Tauranga District Court on Monday and Tuesday next week in respect to recent prosecutions undertaken by Bay of Plenty Regional Council.

The first proceeding which is taking place on Monday 18 September, is a sentencing hearing for Jonathon Spencer, Alan Merrie and Angela Merrie for contravening two abatement notices. In particular, the defendants failed to remove large numbers of tyres stockpiled at Kawerau and Waihī Beach within set timeframes.

The second proceeding that day is a sentence indication and name suppression hearing for the trustees of a Maori Land Trust who are charged in relation to a discharge of dairy effluent from a farm near Opotiki which is owned by the trust.

The third proceeding which is taking place on Tuesday 19 September, is a sentencing hearing for Whitikau Holdings Ltd, Paturakau Ltd and Neville Walker. The defendants are to be sentenced in respect of a number of charges that relate to disturbance of stream beds and discharges of sediment, trees and forestry debris to streams. These disturbances and discharges were caused by harvesting of raidata pine at Whitikau forest in 2016.

The fourth proceeding which is also taking place on Tuesday, is against Darren Hood in relation to discharges of stormwater contaminated with pig effluent at a free-range pig farm in Whakamarama in September and November 2016 and breaching an abatement notice.

The Regional Council will not be making any further comments while these matters are before the court.

ENDS

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