A FIRM which flouted the law and created clouds of dust in a Selby village has been fined more than £10,000.

Bosses at Sandtoft Services Ltd today criticised the "excessive" sentence, claiming they had been made scapegoats.

Plant manager Neil Christofferson told the Evening Press: "We've been hung out to dry - muggers get less than this."

But council chiefs, who prosecuted the firm, said today the firm created "mayhem" with clouds of dust covering nearby properties.

Selby District Council's senior environmental health officer, Mick Reynolds, said it had received complaints from residents and had warned the company several times.

He said: "We hope this sentence sends out the message that if you require an authorisation, it pays you to get one."

The council prosecuted the firm after it used unauthorised equipment to screen lightweight aggregate at a site in Hensall.

Keith Haggerty, prosecuting, told Selby Magistrates Court that council officers visited the site on numerous occasions and took photographs.

The officers warned the firm on May 4 that an authorisation licence was needed for the screening process under the Environmental Protection Act.

But when they visited the site 11 days later, screening had started. Dust was blowing from stockpiles of aggregate and further clouds of dust were created while lorries were being loaded.

The council served an abatement order on the firm a few days later.

Mr Haggerty said it was a clear breach of the law and the council believed the carrying on of the process was clearly based on financial motives.

The company had bought the aggregate from another firm for roadworks at nearby Carlton.

Sandtoft Services Ltd pleaded guilty to carrying on a process without authorisation at the Old Quarry Site, in Hazel Old Lane, Hensall.

It was fined £10,500 with £1,898 court costs.

But Mr Christofferson said today they had made very little money out of the operation and denied they had created mayhem.

He said: "We are a very responsible firm. I went to see the residents and we did our best to alleviate any problems, including hiringroad sweepers and water bowsers."

Jane Pattison, mitigating, told the court her clients accepted they had made an error and had since bought an authorised screening machine.

Updated: 14:36 Wednesday, November 14, 2001