Resident ordered to pay more than £2,600 for fly-tipping offence
A fly-tipper has been ordered to pay more than £2,600 after a large amount of waste was dumped on a quiet country road.
St Albans City and District Council’s Environmental Enforcement team spotted the fly-tip at Drop Lane, Park Street, during a routine inspection of the area.
Among the rubbish were wooden pallets, an old sofa, plastic packaging, bottles and takeaway food bags.
The name of a male suspect was found on some of the material.
When interviewed by Council officers, he refused to make any comment and was later issued with a court summons.
He pleaded not guilty to failing to properly dispose of the waste, a duty of care offence under the Environmental Protection Act.
He told St Albans Magistrates Court that he had merely ordered some garden items for a project overseen by a relative and was not involved in the disposal of the waste.
After a short trial, Magistrates found him guilty and ordered him to pay a £375 fine, a victim surcharge of £150 and a £2,163 contribution to the Council’s legal costs, a total of £2,668.
After the hearing on Monday 12 May, Councillor Anthony Rowlands, Lead for Recycling and Waste, said:
I am pleased that our Environmental Enforcement team has achieved another successful prosecution.
I know that fly-tipping greatly annoys our residents. It is not only an eyesore and a blight on the landscape, but also a potential health hazard and is costly to clear up.
This prosecution will remind people that fly-tipping is a criminal offence that can result in large fines and even a jail term in the most serious cases.
It also shows that we are determined to track down offenders and deal with them appropriately.
Photo: the Drop Lane fly-tip.
Media contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer: 01727- 819533; john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.