South Tyneside residents fined after ignoring requests about where abandoned rubbish was

Nicola Thompson, of Gibbons Walk, South Shields, was fined £660 by magistrates after the case was proven in her absence.

The court was told that a settee and armchair were dumped in the garden at the defendant’s home.

Despite being asked to dispose of the items at a registered waste disposal site, she ignored the notices issued.

In addition to the fine, she was ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66, costs of £100 and compensation of £144.

Teresa Clayton, 44, of Leighton Street in South Shields, was also fined £660 after magistrates were told she had been advertising waste, scrap and fridge removals for cash without the required permit.

The court was told that council officers found numerous adverts on her Facebook page for waste removals for £10.

However, checks revealed that she was not listed as a waste carrier. It also came to light that she had downloaded several permits which are only for van drivers disposing of domestic waste.

This meant she was disposing of her business waste at the expense of taxpayers.

She ignored notices to discuss the matter which resulted in her committing an offence under Section 110 of the Environment Act.

She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £66 and costs of £100.

Magistrates also fined 36-year-old Natalie Young of Caesars Walk in South Shields after they were told that domestic waste had been abandoned at the back of Baring Street in South Shields.

When a notice was delivered to her, she claimed the waste had been stolen from a secure area.

However, she ignored a further notice and failed to attend an interview, committing an offence under Section 110 of the Environment Act.

Magistrates found the case against her proven and fined her £660 and ordered her to pay costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £66.

Jarrow man Jordan Reed, of Hadrian Road, was also fined by magistrates for failing to comply with a statutory notice.

The court was told that an environmental health officer visited his address where he found discarded household furnishings and the back garden decking covered with dog faeces.

As warnings had already been issued to the defendant in the past, a statutory notice was issued under the Environmental Protection Act.

He was given 14 days to clean up the area but failed to comply with the notice.

Magistrates fined him £440 and ordered him to pays costs of £100 and a victim surcharge of £44.

A spokesman for the Council said: “We spend around £2.2 million each year keeping the Borough clean and tidy.

"The significant cost of clearing and investigating this type of offence simply places an additional burden on taxpayers.

“It is hoped these significant fines will send a clear message to the tiny minority of people who fail to comply with the notices served on them.”