Hugh O'Donnell, the boss of a massive illegal waste site in Aldermaston, Berkshire, has been sentenced to four years in prison for dumping waste and money laundering.

Sixty-three-year-old O'Donnell, of Reading, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to two charges.

He laundered millions of pounds in cash profit by leading a group who dumped construction and demolition waste at the illegal waste site, between 2006 and 2008.

In 2008, officials had seized an unlicensed handgun, ammunition, some stolen vehicles and more than £50,000 during a raid conducted on the illegal waste site by Thames Valley Police and the Environment Agency.

O'Donnell was released from prison on Thursday, but he received his latest sentence for money laundering and waste offences on the very next day.

Two other men, 59-year-old Robert Evans and 28-year-old Lynmouth Road, were sentenced to 14 months and 12 months respectively for waste offences and 2 years and 18 months respectively for money laundering.

The fourth man originally arrested in the case was released without charge.

Angus Innes, solicitor for the Environment Agency, said the sentence sent a warning to others considering waste crime.

Speaking on the topic, Innes said, “This is a clear deterrent for others, and there are many of them, in the illegal waste industry, that their activity will be closed down, their profits will be taken, and they'll end up in jail if they don't stop.”

The illegal waste site was of the size of five football pitches.