Telford fly-tipper landed with £1,450 bill - after turning down £400 option
A brazen fly-tipper who left a pile of waste opposite a Telford leisure attraction has been given a bill of more than £1,450 - after turning down the chance to pay a £400 fixed penalty notice.
A car belonging to Bradley Howes was caught on camera entering the then empty car park opposite Telford Snowboard and Ski Centre, in Madeley, fully loaded, before leaving at a rate of knots empty a short while later.
Howes, of The Crescent, Donnington, Telford, ignored the chance to pay a £400 fixed penalty notice after his car was caught on CCTV during the May 4 incident. The dumped items included cardboard boxes, plastic containers and household waste.
Watch a video of Howes' car entering and leaving the car park:
Telford & Wrekin Council, which is campaigning against fly tipping, took him to court.
Howes pleaded guilty to fly tipping at Telford Magistrates’ Court earlier this week and was fined £320, told to pay a victim surcharge of £34 and costs of £1,097.21, meaning he must pay a total of £1,451.21.
Councillor Richard Overton, the Labour-run council's deputy leader and cabinet member for housing, enforcement and transport said: “I am delighted with the outcome of this case because people who selfishly discard their waste should face the consequences. It sends out a clear message that if you ignore a fixed penalty notice you will end up in court.
“Fly tipping is a scourge on the borough and must be stamped out. Telford & Wrekin Council is on the side of law-abiding residents who properly dispose of their rubbish and we will not hesitate to prosecute those who commit environmental vandalism.”
This outcome might not be the end of the story of this particular incident.The council also found the name and address of an Oakengates resident in the Howes fly tip. Officers at the borough are separately investigating a potential duty of care offence in relation to that.
Residents are urged to report fly tipping online through Telford & Wrekin Watch, an initiative set up by the council to tackle the problem. People can also call the hotline on 01952 388800 and provide information which could help identify an offender.
The council says it is easy to dispose of waste at our borough recycling centres or by booking a bulky waste collection.
