Rich businessman is caught running £2.6m illegal waste racket with his farmer friend as they buried toxic rubbish underground next to Grade II-listed mansion

  • Howard Rees, 65 years old, and Huw Liesshon, 53, kept the rubbish secret.
  • Court heard that they tried to conceal activity by using big excavators and flattening the land.
  • Both men plotted to take materials, including biohazardous material from hospitals.
  • They were handed suspended sentences and ordered to pay back over £175,000










A wealthy businessman was caught running a £2.6million illegal waste racket where he buried toxic rubbish underground next to his Grade II-listed mansion.

Howard Rees, 65-years-old, and Huw Liesshon, 53, concealed the refuse alongside the Buckingham Palace building.

The court heard that the couple tried to conceal their illegal dumping activities on the land of 69 acres in South Wales. They used large excavators, then flattened the ground.

They plotted to dump materials including biohazardous waste such as used syringes and clinical tools from hospitals.

Rees pocketed £1.4million in the scam before putting his countryside mansion up for sale for £750,000 and selling it earlier this year.

Mansion owner Howard Rees (pictured above), 65, and 53-year-old accomplice Huw Leyshon concealed the waste alongside the building designed by the architect of Buckingham Palace

Howard Rees, 65 years old and Huw Leyshon (53-years-old), were the mansion’s owner. They concealed the waste from the Buckingham Palace architect.

A court heard the pair tried to hide their secret dumping activity on the land next to Rheola House (pictured) in South Wales using large excavators and then flattening the ground on top

The court heard that the couple tried to conceal their secret dump activity on land near Rheola house (pictured), in South Wales, using large excavators to flatten the top.

Investigators were tipped off that lorries were using the former Old Rheola Works site in Resolven to hide rubbish (pictured) and started a surveillance operation

Investigators received a tip that trucks were hiding rubbish at the Old Rheola Work site in Resolven (pictured), and began a surveillance operation.

John Nash of Buckingham Palace designed Rheola House, located near Neath.

It is located next to an old aluminium plant, where rubbish used to be dumped in huge holes underground before it was covered up. 

After being tipped that several lorries had been using the Old Rheola Works site, Resolven, to conceal rubbish they launched an investigation.

The workers were digging trenches in order to conceal rotting household wastes, plastics shredded, oil-covered auto parts, and other scrapyard waste.

Police seized documents and a phone from Rees’ home during an investigation.

Swansea Crown Court was informed that officers were led to Leyshon’s farm near Skewen, where they found ‘hundreds’ of lorries arriving from Birmingham’s scrapyards. 

Cattle farmer Huw Leyshon (pictured above) made £1.2million in the scheme. Swansea Crown Court heard officers were led to his family farm in nearby Skewen where 'hundreds' of lorries were found arriving from scrap yards in Birmingham

Cattle farmer Huw Leyshon (pictured above) made £1.2million in the scheme. Swansea Crown Court was informed that officers were taken to Huw Leyshon’s family farm near Skewen, where “hundreds” of lorries arrived from Birmingham’s scrapyards.

The pair plotted to dump materials including biohazardous waste such as used syringes and clinical tools from hospitals (pictured: the toxic rubbish that was buried underground)

The pair plotted to dump materials including biohazardous waste such as used syringes and clinical tools from hospitals (pictured: the toxic rubbish that was buried underground)

Cattle farmer Leyshon made £1.2million in the scheme. 

Dennis Connor is the third defendant and will be sentenced in due course of this week. His land was found with clinical waste, such as syringes, infectious waste bags and syringes, from several hospitals.

Rees and Leyshon were each handed 16-month suspended sentences and ordered to pay back more than £175,000 between them.

Rees was ordered to repay £66,841 within three months and Leyshon £108,313.

Rees pocketed £1.4million in the scam before putting his countryside mansion (above) up for sale for £750,000 and selling it earlier this year

Rees pocketed £1.4million in the scam before putting his countryside mansion (above) up for sale for £750,000 and selling it earlier this year

The building is next to a former aluminium works where the rubbish was dumped underground in giant holes before being covered over

It is located next to an old aluminium plant where rubbish used to be dumped in huge holes underground before it was covered up.

Martyn Evans, the south-west region manager of Natural Resources Wales (NRW), stated: ‘We hope that the outcome will send a positive signal to those who seek profit through breaking the law. Natural Resources Wales will never tolerate harming the local community or damaging the environment.

“The effect of these activities was felt far beyond the land of the defendants and reached the larger area.

“The illegal disposal of waste undermines companies that invest in appropriate measures. It is therefore essential that we act in these cases in order to protect the people and the planet, and also safeguard the market for legitimate players.

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