THE owner of a derelict pub has been fined after failing to remove waste from the premises.

Michael David Phillips, who owns the land occupied by former pub The Station, in Station Road, West Auckland, was meant to appear at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court yesterday.

He failed to attend and in his absence was found guilty of failing to comply with a community protection order.

Magistrates’ heard a Durham County Council neighbourhood warden visited the pub in April after receiving complaints from members of the public.

Phillips, of Moxon Close, London, was given a community protection order to remove waste from the premises on April 7 but on April 25 had failed to comply.

He has now been told to pay costs of £330.54, a £220 fine and a victim surcharge of £30.

Meanwhile Ian Abel Armstrong, who lives near the pub, also appeared at the same court yesterday facing a separate charge of failing to comply with a community protection order.

Armstrong, of Station Road, West Auckland, did not attend the hearing and was given fines and costs totalling £440.

The court heard he was given the order to deal with accumulated waste in January but had not complied with it when a neighbourhood warden visited later in the month.