Fly-tipper told to pay almost £4,000
AN Alvaston fly-tipper has been fined after he was found to be dumping building waste, white goods and domestic refuse at rural locations in South Derbyshire in spring 2020.
Jamie Whitmore, of Chalkley Close, pleaded guilty at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates’ Court to three offences of fly-tipping.
Whitmore was fined £1,800, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £180 and ordered to pay a contribution of £2,000 towards the council’s costs, making a total of £3,900 to be paid in full within 28 days.
In March 2020, members of the public reported flytipping incidents at Shardlow and Astonon-Trent to South Derbyshire District Council’s Environmental Health Service. Further incidents were identified at other locations. The materials consisted of building waste, white goods and domestic refuse.
The council’s Community Safety Enforcement Team linked a van rented by Whitmore to all of the
offences. Initially, Whitmore denied any involvement but later admitted the offences.
Councillor Stephen Taylor, chair of the environment and development service committee, said: “This individual admitted to the court that he had previously held a waste carrier licence, and that he therefore knowingly chose to operate a business illegally disposing of waste.
“He admitted flytipping for a couple of months to earn extra money and that he didn’t dispose of the waste at a legal waste disposal facility in order to maximise his profit.
“I have no doubt that if council officers had not carried out detailed investigations into his activities and forced him to account for his actions, he would have continued his illegal business practices.
“Most importantly, the start of the trail of evidence which led to this offender being found was information which was provided to us by members of the public.
“Sometimes people tell me that they don’t report incidents because they don’t think the council will take any action. I hope this, and the many other fines and penalties we issue, proves that this council is determined to stop fly tipping.”
The council said flytipping offences had “increased significantly” during 2020/21 but that its Community Safety Enforcement Team had been “vigorously pursuing offenders”. Since April of this year the average monthly incidents of fly tipping has halved.