Dumped waste drums co-accused Jason Lee Atkins pleads guilty to five charges

One of the men charged in relation to the alleged illegal dumping of waste near Yeppoon in 2019 will contest only one of his six charges.

Drums dumped in a lagoon north of Yeppoon in 2019. File photo.

Jason Lee Atkins will contest only one of his six charges in relation to the alleged illegal dumping of waste near Yeppoon.

Atkins, 39, pleaded guilty in Yeppoon Magistrates Court on September 30 to five environmental charges and not guilty to another.

Atkins had previously been given a deadline of September 30 by Magistrate Cameron Press to indicate to the court how he intended to plead after more than 12 months of adjournments.

In court on Thursday, Atkins pleaded guilty to carrying out an environmentally relevant activity without authority, two counts of illegally dumping waste, wilfully causing environmental harm, and giving false or misleading information to an authorised person.

Atkins pleaded not guilty to a charge of littering.

Jason Lee Atkins.

Magistrate Cameron Press remanded all of Atkins’ matters to December 2, for a long-plea and a hearing at Rockhampton.

Atkins’ bail was enlarged.

Atkins and Eric Karl Davis, 42, were charged with offences under the Environmental Protection Act after 13 drums were found at two sites near Yeppoon in 2019.

Mr Davis has not yet been required to enter a plea and he has a hearing date set for a Rockhampton court on December 9.