No show fly tipper fined almost £1,000 for not co-operating

A fly tipper who failed to attend their hearing on fly tipping charges has been fined almost £1,000 in total for not co-operating with the investigation.

Darlington resident Eva Hanlon of Cumberland Street, Darlington was suspected of fly tipping at Grass Street, Darlington. The fly-tip included off cuts of carpet and various packaging materials.

The offender was served with a notice under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, requiring her to attend an interview under caution on 1 February.

At the hearing on Tuesday (31 August) Magistrates fined the fly tipper £220 and ordered her to pay the council's costs of £637.50. She was also ordered to pay a £34 victim surcharge.

Scott Richardson, ASB & Civic Enforcement Team Leader, said: “We hope Ms Hanlon’s case sends a strong warning to all those involved in the illegal fly tipping of waste. We investigate all fly-tipping incidents reported to the Council and, when we find evidence which could help us identify the culprits, we carry out interviews to gather more information.

"The majority of people help our investigations voluntarily and occasionally there's an innocent explanation for how such evidence came to be discovered with the fly-tipped items.

"However, the law gives us powers to compel individuals, as well as businesses, to attend interviews under caution, and ignoring a notice served under these powers can prove to be a costly mistake.”

Householders can check if a company has a valid waste carrier licence via the Environment Agency online at https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers.

Darlington residents are urged to report any incidents of fly tipping to help tackle the problem. This can be done online at www.darlington.gov.uk/reportit.  

For more information about the work of Civic Enforcement Officers and the Community Safety Team, visit www.darlington.gov.uk/communitysafety.