Conservative-led West Lindsey District Council has been successful in prosecuting against fly tipping on two occasions.
A Gainsborough woman who dumped household rubbish in a conservation area has been fined a total of £770 and a Gainsborough man was fined £240 for fly tipping in a rural area.
Ms Natalie Moran of Theaker Avenue, pleaded guilty and was fined £150, and ordered to pay £20 victims’ surcharge and £600 compensation to the council for clear up and investigative costs on Thursday, 13th February.
The court heard that Ms Moran left her household rubbish on Theaker Avenue Nature Park on or around 25th August 2013. There were around twenty assorted bags containing household waste which included books, papers, toys, clothing, numerous disposable nappies, dirty sanitary wear. Young children were observed playing in the rubbish, splitting the bags open and spreading the rubbish across an area of about three square metres. The case was heard before Judge Stobbart who said:
“This is the nastiest piece of rubbish tipping that has come before me and I have seen a few, it is a disgusting offence in a recreational place where children play.”
Officers from West Lindsey District Council started an investigation into the offence, and documentation relating to Ms Moran was discovered in the rubbish. She was interviewed and admitted that she had dumped the rubbish there, because all her bins were full and she could not be bothered to take it to the local Gainsborough tip. Mr. Kevin Dunne, enforcement officer at the council said:
“This could have been prevented. If Ms Moran had first contacted the council we could have removed her excess rubbish from her home address for just a small charge.
“We will take robust enforcement action against anyone negligently depositing rubbish in public places, especially in a recreational area where children play.”
Mr. Lee Woodmansey of Richmond Road also appeared before Judge Stobbart at Lincoln Magistrates Court, where he pleaded guilty to a breach of the householders duty of care regulations in relation to domestic waste. Mr. Woodmansey failed to make reasonable checks to make sure that the person he allowed to transfer his household waste to had a waste carriers licence and was authorised to carry the waste. He was fined £70, victims surcharge of £20 and ordered to pay £150 costs to the council towards clear up and investigative work.
Mr. Woodmansey had not checked that the scrap man had a Waste Carriers licence. Cllr. Mrs. Jessie Milne, Conservative Chairman of the Council’s Licencing and Regulatory Committee, said:
“These cases show that if you not get rid of your waste in the proper manner, we will prosecute you.
“It’s not fair that other residents have to see the eyesore that this causes, or have to pay extra council tax to get it cleared up.”
Mr. Dunne added:
“All householders need to make sure that they only give their domestic waste to authorised persons, those who have a Waste Carriers Licence. This is to prevent unlawful fly tipping as highlighted in this particular set of circumstances.
“You can check by telephoning the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506, check the website at http://epr.environment-agency.gov.uk/ePRInternet/SearchRegisters or email [email protected]. If you do give your rubbish to people you don’t know and it is found to be fly tipped, you are likely to face prosecution.”
