THE former chairman of Abingdon Town Football Club has been handed a suspended jail term after admitting using the club ground as a waste site.

Jayson Lyon, of Milton, Abingdon, admitted before magistrates in December the running of a waste operation at the site, without authorisation or an environment permit.

The 33-year old also pleaded guilty to three counts of knowingly permitting the submission of controlled waste, namely incineration.

The offences relate to illegal activities carried out at the Culham Road site between August 20 2017 and November 23 2017.

At Oxford Magistrates' Court yesterday Lyon was handed a six-month jail term, suspended for 12 months for the four offences.

He was also made subject to a community order to include 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 days rehabilitation activity requirement.

Court costs were also ordered to the value of £1,805 and he must pay a victim surcharge of £115.

The sentencing hearing comes after it was revealed last month that the club, which had been in financial straits since Lyon quit last year, had been saved from collapse.

Joint club boss Brian Kirk said that while the club had been saved and was in a 'better position' volunteers were needed.