Trio of illegal dumpers fined over filthy fly-tipping in South Tyneside

In one case, South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court heard how a substantial amount of waste had been illegally abandoned at Blue House Lane in East Boldon in May.

The contents of the waste – a domestic wheelie bin, brick rubble and other materials – led South Tyneside Council enforcement officers to Alan Hodgson’s address in Prince Edward Road, South Shields.

The council took legal action after notices requiring Hodgson, aged 50, to make himself available to answer questions regarding the abandonment of the waste were ignored – an offence under section 110 of the Environment Act 1995.

Magistrates also dealt with the case of Michelle Temple in connection with a large amount of domestic waste discovered in April by the council’s cleansing team in Slake Road in Jarrow – a popular beauty spot for walkers and bird watchers.

Investigating officers traced the waste to Temple’s address in Bardon Court, South Shields.

The court heard that within weeks of a notice being served on the 37-year-old, requesting an interview about the waste, two further fly tips were found in Boldon Colliery.

One, behind Arnold Street, included black bin bags and cardboard boxes featuring address labels.

Another consisted of an old sofa and more black waste bags. Identification found among both loads led officers back to the same Bardon Court address.

A further notice was issued, under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995, requiring Temple to attend an interview to answer questions about how the waste came to be abandoned in Jarrow and Boldon.

The notice was not complied with.

Both Hodgson and Temple were each fined £500 in their absence. They were also ordered to pay costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £50 – a total of £650 each.

In a further case, Hayley Allcock, aged 35, of Lambton Road in Hebburn, was prosecuted in relation to two separate incidents of fly-tipping.

In August 2020, waste including a double mattress, domestic waste sacks and children’s toys and packaging, was found in a quiet lane at the back of Cambridge Avenue, Hebburn.

A white van had been seen to tip the waste at the site days earlier.

Investigating officers found letters in the waste sacks leading them to Allcock’s Lambton Road address.

Magistrates were told that during the investigation, Allcock admitted she had paid an unknown male to take away her waste.

However, the council said no checks were made as to whether the person was a registered waste carrier and there was no waste transfer note or receipt for the cash transaction.

She was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice for failing in her duty of care under the Household Waste Regulations 2005.

The council said the FPN, and subsequent reminder, went ignored and Allcock was therefore prosecuted.

Then, in April 2021, fly-tipping at a unit in West Walpole Street, South Shields, was found to contain contact details for Allcock.

The waste included a mattress, Christmas tree, boxes, bags and a TV stand. A witness reported seeing a white transit van deposit the waste.

The court heard that a notice was hand delivered to Allcock to attend an interview about the abandoned waste.

Allcock contacted the council to say she had paid someone to take the waste away, but failed to turn up for the appointment – an offence under Section 108 of the Environment Act.

She admitted the offences in court. She was ordered to pay a total of £157, which included a £25 fine, £100 in costs and a £32 victim surcharge.

A South Tyneside Council spokesperson said: “The council spends more than £2million a year keeping the borough clean and tidy and the illegal disposal of waste places an additional burden on taxpayers.

“While we do all we can to identify those responsible, prosecution is always a last resort. The council was left with no alternative but to pursue these matters through the courts.”

They added: “Although these cases can take some time to go through the legal process, we hope this serves as a reminder that we will, and we do, take action against those who obstruct our investigations to identify those responsible for flytipping offences and fail to comply with the notices served on them. Those convicted of such offences receive a criminal record.

“We would always urge householders to protect themselves by checking that the waste disposal services they use are legitimate and licensed. If waste is removed and later illegally abandoned, then there is a chance the householder could be prosecuted.

“We would also appeal to people who witness an incident to collect as much information as possible. Where a vehicle is used, a description and any registration details are particularly useful in helping us to identify those responsible.”

Fly-tipping incidents can be reported online www.southtyneside.gov.uk/reportit or at the council’s customer contact centre on (0191) 427 7000, where officers say all cars are treated in the strictest confidence.

More information about the safe and responsible disposal of waste can also be found at www.southtyneside.gov.uk/wasteandrecycling

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