Courts leave fly-tippers counting the cost of illegal waste dumping
Two men from Wearside have been fined more than £1,200 for fly-tipping related offences in County Durham.
Liam Purvis and Jack Brown were prosecuted by Durham County Council.
Purvis, of Wraith Terrace, Sunderland, was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling almost £1,000 after failing to assist an investigation into three fly-tipping incidents across the county.
After waste was dumped at Holmside Lane near Edmondsley, and Seaton Lane, Seaton, in April and May last year, evidence was found linking to two people who confirmed he had removed their waste.
Purvis, 29, called the council to report he had left waste in the Easington Colliery area in April 2020 but failed to respond to requests from the council and failed to attend Peterlee Magistrates Court or enter a plea.
Magistrates fined him £660 and ordered him to pay £233.50 in costs and a £66 victim surcharge for his failure to assist the investigation.
Brown, of Fellside Court, Washington, was fined and ordered to pay costs totalling more than £1,000 at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court after dumping waste in August last year.
The 23-year-old pleaded guilty to fly-tipping after being caught on CCTV dumping horse manure in the grass verge of a layby at the side of Forge Lane, Castledene, Chester-leStreet.
He was fined £600 and ordered to pay £130 legal costs, £373.80 costs towards the investigation and a £60 victim surcharge.
Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’ s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “We hope these court cases serve as a reminder that anyone responsible for fly-tipping will be held to account.
“County Durham is a beautiful place to live, work and visit and everyone has a duty to keep it that way.
"Businesses must make sure they dispose of waste correctly and householders should check that anyone who says they will remove their rubbish is registered to do so.
“There are many ways to get rid of waste responsibly, whether that is taking it to one of our household waste recycling centres free or by booking a bulky waste collection, but fly- tipping really is inexcusable and we will continue to do all we can to tackle the issue.”