Man who fly-tipped 27 tonnes of waste on rural lane, trapping locals, to face trial

A man who allegedly fly-tipped over 27 tonnes of waste onto a rural lane is set to stand trial. Darren Sheen, 39, of Grange Road in Uttoxeter, has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges at Stafford Crown Court on Wednesday (6 August). The businessman from Fusion Engineering is alleged to have used a lorry to dump the huge mound of waste on Watery Lane on 19 January, which stopped residents from a village in Lichfield from leaving. Video footage shows the waste, which was more than 20 metres in length and two metres in height, blocking the road. The cleanup cost £10,000, with waste firm Wilshees Waste and Recycling describing it as their largest ever operation. Sheen will not face trial until 8 March, 2027 because of the court backlog.