Former Donegal waste collector Jim Ferry has avoided jail today as the Donegal County Council hearing against him came before the High Court.
Ferry has admitted to dumping tens of thousands of tons of waste at Rossbracken in what he has described as a ‘desperate act’, the Irish Times reports.
In an affidavit which was disclosed today, Ferry apologised for his actions to Donegal County Council and told the High Court he is broke, unemployed and is planning to file for bankruptcy.
He also claimed the illegal dumping at Rossbracken was “a desperate act” when he discovered a problem with the weighing of bins collected.
Ferry offered to give the council two lots of cash worth €158,000, if it can be released by Criminal Assets Bureau after being seized from his partner’s home and his company office at Rossbracken.
Donegal County Council has now retained a forensic accountant to test the information in Ferry’s affidavit and exhibits which allegedly support his assertions.
Ferry, who is under threat of being jailed for contempt, was spared immediate incarceration in jail on the basis that he co-operates with the council. The case has been adjourned until July 31st.