A MAN has been charged with assaulting a Government official carrying out an inspection of a controversial recycling plant.

The alleged assault was on an Environment Agency officer attempting to carry out an inspection of the Albert Hill Skip Hire Company site, in Darlington, earlier this month.

Last night, the Government agency pledged that the alleged incident will not restrict their inspections of the site.

The waste management company has come under increasing scrutiny from the agency following a campaign by residents and Darlington MP Jenny Chapman after a fire at the site in Dodsworth Street, which raged for a week in July last year.

The company is facing a court case, brought by the Environment Agency, regarding operating without correct waste permits, which is due to be heard at Teesside Crown Court next month.

Since the fire, the agency has carried out regular inspections at the site.

Julian Carrington, of the agency, told Darlington borough councillors at a meeting of the neighbourhood services scrutiny committee yesterday they would continue regular site inspections.

“My staff have been assaulted while carrying out duties on the site,” he said.“That is not to say we will stop inspecting, but obviously safety of my staff is paramount.”

An Environment Agency spokeswoman confirmed the incident was under investigation.

“The alleged assault took place on March 4 when one of our officers was carrying out a site visit,” she said. “The case is now with the police.”

Detective Chief Inspector Kevin Weir confirmed a local man had been charged with common assault and was due to appear at Teesside Crown Court at a date to be arranged.

In October last year, Bishop Auckland magistrates fined the Albert Hill Skip Hire Company £1,000 and ordered it to pay £350 in court costs for breaching a stop notice issued by Darlington Borough Council last year.

The firm was unrepresented in court.

Company boss Antony Shepherd, also known as Raymond Antony Shepherd, has always maintained the company has done nothing wrong.