UK
Birmingham man fined for fly-tipping six times
A Birmingham man was ordered to pay £1,580 and given six points on his driver’s licence, after pleading guilty to six fly-tipping offences at Birmingham Magistrates Court yesterday (20 February 2020).
Simon Grandison, 39, of Fentham Road, Aston made six trips over four days in April and May 2019 to dump waste behind Churchill Parade, Birchfield Road, Birmingham.
On 29 April 2019 he dumped mattresses, a gas canister and a door by residential bins behind Churchill Parade; on 6 May 2019 pieces of wood and board and three full bin bags were dumped; on 9 May 2019 pieces of wood and board, eight full bin bags and a builder’s sack of waste were fly-tipped there; and on 13 May 2019 insulation foam was left there.
The incidents were all caught on CCTV and prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Grandison also pleaded guilty to one offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 for not being insured on the Nissan vehicle used on these trips.
Grandison was fined £560 for fly-tipping, £120 for having no insurance, and ordered to pay £900 court costs. He was also given six points on his driver’s licence.
Cllr John O’Shea, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Parks, said: “Whether it is one bag of rubbish, building waste or the contents of a house clearance, any fly-tipping in this city is completely unacceptable and a criminal offence.
“The council will not tolerate this as it knows the top priority for the people of this city is clean streets. When cases are reported, we investigate – and when evidence is available, we prosecute.
“This case sends out a clear message that we do investigate fly-tipping and we will prosecute whenever we have evidence. If you fly-tip and are caught, the consequences mean it is simply not worth the risk.”
The council can only prosecute when credible evidence, that meets the criminal burden of proof, is available. Anyone with information on any cases of fly-tipping is urged to contact the council at www.birmingham.gov.uk/flytipping .
