A HOUSING developer in Thurrock issued emotional 'not guilty' pleas before magistrates when he was brought before them for a second time on charges of not maintaining an estate his company built in East Tilbury.

In July last year developer Tommy Ingleton and his company, Ingleton Luxury Homes, were found guilty and fined at Basildon Magistrates Court for failing to maintain the 12 dwelling Lawns estate in the heart of the village after an action brought by Thurrock Council.

Ten months later (today: Tuesday, 13 May) he was back in the same court for further offences related to allowing fly-tipping and a general lack of maintenance on the site.

In his defence last July Mr Ingleton damned Thurrock Council planning officers for a lack of understanding and compassion and he repeated that accusation today – saying he believed he was being victimised and was the subject of incompetence and misinformation from the council's planning team,

He was brought back before magistrates by Thurrock Council planning enforcement accusations that he has continued to ignore his responsibility to keep the estate in good condition.

The lawns site pictured today (Tuesday, 13 May).

Speaking to magistrates, Mr Ingleton said: "I will be entering a not guilty plea because I have been brought back to this court by people at the council committing crimes against me.

"I need and want to work in conjunction with the planning department, and I have been in constant contact with them.

"This has been going on since July. I hadn't received any notice from the council until I got this court summons.

"I can't afford legal advice but I am trying every to make every effort to remedy the situation because the site has become a constant target for fly-tipping."

However, Thurrock Council's legal representative, Daniel Kozelko, rebutted Mr Ingleton's claims, saying: "He has been advised and contacted since being convicted last year."

He added that the council believed Mr Ingleton was culpable for continuing problems on the estate, saying residents were 'having to live with fly-tipping, a year on from the original offence' because of Mr Ingleton's refusal to deal with the situation," adding, "this is a continuing offence".

Mr Ingleton asked the court to give him more time to respond to the council's action against him and get legal advice with regard to how he might plead, but chair of the magistrates, Lynette Brown, said: "The bench is not minded to take an adjournment today", and told the accused he had to make a plea." She said he had been given ample time to take advice and added: "What's changed now that means you require an adjournment?"

Mr Ingleton then submitted a 'not guilty' plea on behalf of himself and his company, which was also charged, and did so vehemently, responding 'absolutely not guilty' when asked how he would plead.

The case will now progress to a plea and case management hearing, that will take place on 2 September – which was agreed after Mr Ingleton told the court he would be out of the country working on a contract for much of July and throughout August.

Outside the courtroom, Mr Ingleton told Thurrock Nub News he felt he was being victimised and falsely held to account by Thurrock Council which was covering up its inefficiencies and responsibilities by continuing to try and prosecute him.