A Newcastle man has been fined and ordered to pay the cost of the clean up after he was found guilty of fly-tipping in Northumberland.
An investigation was launched by Northumberland County Council’s environmental enforcement team after piles of rubbish were found dumped in Widdrington.
Ian Harold Wilkinson, 31, of, Blakelaw, Newcastle pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates Court on Friday 28th June 2024 to dumping waste on Felton Lane, Widdrington..
He was sentenced to a fine of £300 reduced to £200 for his early guilty plea, ordered to pay £1,034 in costs and a victim surcharge of £80, a total financial penalty of £1,314.
On Tuesday 3rd July 2023 a fly tipping incident was discovered on Felton Lane, Widdrington. The waste consisted of cement based asbestos panels, wood and household waste.
Officers from the Council’s Environmental Enforcement Team went to investigate, and Wilkinson was identified as the culprit of this environmental crime. He attended a voluntary interview where he admitted the offence. He was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice which he subsequently failed to pay.
Wilkinson at the time was operating a waste removal business which he advertised on social media. He charged people for the removal of their waste who believed that he would dispose of it lawfully.
Northumberland County Councillor Colin Horncastle, Cabinet member for Looking After our Environment said: “This is another appalling incident of fly-tipping and I am so pleased the perpetrator has been caught and is paying for his crime.
"This is just one of a series of heavy fines that have been handed out this year as we continue our crackdown on fly-tipping in our beautiful county.
“Fly tipping is a serious environmental crime and our officers are tenacious and investigate and pursue every single fly tipping incident.
“Many of the culprits we’ve caught and prosecuted for fly tipping are rogue waste carriers who charge residents to collect their bulky household waste, but then dump it unlawfully.”
Residents using an independent waste carrier are being advised to always ask to see the operator’s waste carrier licence, issued by the Environment Agency. Companies that offer to transport and remove waste on behalf of others must have a carrier's license issued by the Environment Agency.
This is really important because, if you make the mistake of employing an unlicensed waste carrier and they dump your waste illegally - you could also be fined along with them.
Be wary of:
Businesses that only operate through social media
Businesses that do not have a landline phone number or business address
Anyone coming to your door offering to remove rubbish on the cheap.
How to check a waste carrier is reputable
Visit the Environment Agency's waste carrier register and enter the business name or, search for licensed waste operators near you on the public registers pages of the website.