Darlington man fined for fly-tipping

A Darlington man has been ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £1,074 after being found guilty of an offence relating to a fly-tip in the town.

Bradley Hall, of Columbia Street, was found guilty in his absence at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (2 July) of failing to attend an interview under Section 110 of the Environment Act 1995.

The court heard that on 5 February this year, civic enforcement officers from Darlington Borough Council were called out to a report of a fly-tip in the back lane of Columbia Street.

Investigations traced the waste to Hall’s address, and he was invited to attend an interview on 12 February but failed to attend. A further invite was sent to attend an interview on 31 March, but again he failed to attend or make contact to arrange a suitable date.

Hall was summonsed to attend court but failed to appear, and magistrates heard the case in his absence.

He was fined £660 and ordered to pay costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £264.

Councillor Jim Garner, Darlington Borough Council’s cabinet member for stronger communities, said: “This case sends a clear message that we can and do take action against those who flout the law and that failing to attend interviews or provide information to assist our investigations are also offences.

“Our staff work hard to keep our streets, back lanes and open spaces clean and fly-tipping of any kind will not be tolerated.”

If you need to report a fly-tip, or you see anyone fly-tipping, you can report it online via our website at www.darlington.gov.uk/doitonline