The SCOTTISH ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AGENCY (SEPA) have issued a warning to people who fail to turn up and give witness statements, that may lead to prosecution.
Martin Forrest pled guilty to failing to attend a compelled witness interview in connection with a criminal investigation being carried out by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
In October 2014 SEPA officers received information that suggested Mr Forrest would be able to assist with an investigation relating to substantial waste deposits near Edinburgh Airport if he was interviewed, which would enable SEPA to progress it.
SEPA officers served a letter requiring he attend a compelled witness interview on 4 March 2015 and he was informed that non-attendance would be an offence.
Mr Forrest subsequently never turned up.
Stuart Grimes, SEPA’s investigating officer, said:
This demonstrates that SEPA’s new powers, which were introduced by the Regulatory Reform (Scotland) Act 2014, can be used to compel people to attend at a SEPA office and provide a witness statement. This shows that if people fail to turn up to provide a compelled witness statement then they are committing an offence.”
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