A Green Party candidate's property firm was convicted of 'environmental vandalism' after burning waste to save money, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

Mohammed Suleman, who is standing in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in next month's local elections, last year admitted that Fenham Properties Ltd, a company he directs and co-owns, breached the Environmental Protection Act by burning large amounts of wood in a skip that had been converted into a 'makeshift incinerator'.

The firm was ordered to pay £8,507 in fines and costs after it was discovered that the incinerator was used 'to cut costs while building luxury homes'.

Mr Suleman's firm was converting Pendower Hall, a grade II-listed former mansion, into four seven-bedroom homes, with a private wellness centre, swimming pool, gym and sauna.

A court heard that an environmental health officer who inspected the site found a skip large enough to hold 100 bin bags of rubbish that was severely fire damaged after it had been used as an 'illegal burning chamber'.

Councillor Alex Hay, deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, said after the conviction: 'Everyone has a right to breathe clean air. 

'It is not right, nor is it fair, to expect others to endure this act of environmental vandalism.'

Mr Suleman's selection raises new questions over the vetting procedures used by the Greens, which pledged at the last election to introduce a Clean Air Act to 'enshrine the right to breathe clean air'.

Chi Onwurah, Newcastle Central and West's Labour MP, said: 'To see the Green Party fielding candidates convicted of environmental crimes is rank hypocrisy. 

'They are in utter disarray over their candidates.'

Mr Suleman did not respond when contacted for comment.

The Green Party said: 'Where there are examples that don't represent the views of the Green Party, we are investigating.'

Last week the MoS exposed a string of Green candidates with highly questionable pasts, including Hau-Yu Tam, deputy leader of the Greens in Lewisham, south-east London, who used a racial slur towards Justice Secretary David Lammy and former home secretary Priti Patel, calling them 'coconuts'.

Now this newspaper can reveal that Northumbria Police have launched a probe after another candidate, Dr Rima Hussein, who is standing in Benwell, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, appeared to declare her support for Palestine Action, which is proscribed by the Government as a terrorist group.

In February, Dr Hussein, an associate professor at Northumbria University, declared 'Palestine Action is Back' on Instagram and posted a picture of herself wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the slogan 'We are all Palestine Action'.

The High Court ruled in February that the proscription of Palestine Action is unlawful, but the government is appealing and it remains a criminal offence to express support for the group.

Northumbria Police said: 'We have been made aware of a post on social media allegedly depicting an individual showing support for a proscribed organisation. Enquiries into the report are ongoing.'

The Green Party said it voted against the proscription of the group and 'have always opposed authoritarian attacks on legitimate peaceful protest'.

Meanwhile, the MoS can reveal another Green candidate, Khalid Mahmood, standing for election in Bradford, spoke at a vigil for Ayatollah Khamenei after Iran's Supreme Leader was killed. 

The Greens said: 'Mr Mahmood has said this was a demonstration against the illegal war in Iran.'