South Shields woman fined after failing to assist fly-tipping investigation

South Shields Magistrates Court heard how a quantity of domestic waste had been found abandoned in the car park area of Lukes Lane playing fields in Hebburn in February.

The contents of the waste identified Nicola Boyer who was traced by council officers to an address in Prince Edward Road in the town.

Magistrates were told that a formal notice had been hand delivered to Boyer in February inviting her to discuss under caution how the waste came to appear in Hebburn.

However, two months later, the 33-year-old had still not responded, leading to officers serving a Notice pursuant to Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 requiring her to make herself available to answer questions regarding the abandonment of waste.

An offence under Section 110 of the Environment Act 1995 was committed when the formal notice also went ignored.

The case was proven in Boyer’s absence.

She was fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £50.

A spokesperson for South Tyneside Council 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.

"We do all we can to identify those responsible.

“Prosecution is always a last resort but the council was left with no alternative in this case but to pursue the matters through the courts.

"We hope this serves as a reminder that we will take action against those who obstruct our investigations and fail to comply with the notices served on them.”

Flytipping can be reported to South Tyneside Council’s Customer Contact Centre on (0191) 427 7000.

All calls will be treated in the strictest confidence.

Alternatively it can be reported online via the council’s website atwww.southtyneside.gov.uk/reportit

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