A COURT has fined a man $5000 for building an illegal motocross track on a property near Tamworth.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Russell John Barnett pleaded guilty to the charge of carrying out a development without development consent after Tamworth Regional Council took the Moonbi resident to court.
Tamworth Local Court heard the motocross track was constructed on a property on Chapmans Road at Moonbi, near the village’s lookout.
Barnett had originally denied the offence but, on the day of the hearing, the 30-year-old pleaded guilty to the charge.
Magistrate Julie Soars convicted Barnett and fined him $5000, ordering him to pay 50 per cent moiety to the council.
Charges of unlawfully using a place as a waste facility and failing to notify in writing how reports are to be provided were withdrawn and dismissed.
Barnett was taken to court after police and council found a ride day advertised on Facebook.
In a joint operation, police and council attended the property in March on the day of the advertised event.
READ ALSO:
After the inspection, council issued court attendance notices to Barnett and his father, Stephen Barnett.
The case against Russell Barnett was that he lodged a development application with the council, it was rejected and he constructed the track illegally.
The court was told the motocross track had since been demolished, with the dirt jumps and earthworks removed.
Stephen Barnett pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully using a place as a waste facility.
The court heard he had more than 30 used LPG gas cylinders on the Moonbi property.
The council carried out inspections and took the resident to court, but the the area has since been remediated.
The offence was proven without a conviction being recorded.
He was sentenced to a conditional release order, or good behaviour bond, for 12 months.