Warrant for ‘cat’ trader

A former Long Sutton man has been found guilty of illegally trading catalytic convertors on a colossal scale.
Edvars Stancik, the only director of Platinum Group Metals Recycling Ltd and formerly of St Thomas Court, Long Sutton, failed to attend Lincoln Crown Court for a trial.
From December 2019 and September 2021 Stancik (30) was director of the company trading the converters.
They contain very small amounts of precious metals but also carcinogenic fibres, so must be handled under strict conditions.
A jury heard neither Stancik or his company had a permit before buying and selling thousands of convertors. They were stored at his home address and in containers in Lime Walk, Long Sutton.
They posed an ‘unacceptable risk to human health,’ said the Environment Agency (EA) which led the prosecution.
Stancik has four charges against him and his company also has four charges.
Police and EA officers found a large number of the converters were damaged with dangerous elements fully exposed.
The agency’s barrister Barnaby Hone told the court Stancik and his company had been under investigation and turned over ‘millions of pounds’ from the crime.
The jury took 30 minutes to return guilty verdicts and the case was adjourned with a warrant issue for the arrest of Stancik. He will be sentenced at a later date.