Residents prosecuted for dumping household waste in the street and an alleyway

TWO Ashton women have been fined by Tameside magistrates for flytipping household waste in the street and an alleyway in their local neighbourhoods.

Marie Fairhurst of Whiteacre Road, Ashton, admitted on 23 September 2024 two counts of flytipping – one of the offences taking place on Russell Street and the other on Stanhope Street.

The court heard that on 1 February 2023 Tameside Council’s waste enforcement team received the compliant of the flytipping on Russell Street. An officer visited the site and gathered evidence. Ms Fairhurst was invited to attend an interview under caution but failed to attend.

On the 16 March 2023, a further incident of flytipping occurred on Stanhope Street and the Waste Enforcement Team found evidence again linking it to Ms Fairhurst. She was invited to attend an interview under caution to discuss both offences, but she ignored all communication.

The prosecution was listed to be heard at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 25 January 2024 but Ms Fairhurst failed to attend. A warrant was issued for her arrest, following which she was bailed to attend court on 23 September 2024 where the matter was heard.

In Court, Ms Fairhurst initially claimed that the waste was not hers. Then she stated that her landlord had told her she needed to dispose of some waste and that he would help her. She finally admitted that the waste did belong to her except the mattress. The prosecuting solicitor, representing Tameside Council, reminded the court that this demonstrates the effect of fly tipping - once people perceive an area is a general dumping ground it attracts further deposits of waste.

Magistrates ordered Ms Fairhurst to pay a total of £600 - a fine of £50 for each of the two offences, £400 compensation and £100 costs.

In the second case, again heard at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on 23 September 2024, Claire Butler of Kings Road, Ashton, was found guilty in her absence.

The court heart that on 23 October 2023, Tameside Council officers investigated a complaint of flytipping in the alleyway behind properties on Kings Road, close to Rowley Street, Ashton. There were several black bags containing household waste and a cardboard box and officers found evidence linking the waste to Ms Butler.

Ms Butler was written to and offered the opportunity to avoid prosecution by paying a Fixed Penalty Notice. Further reminder letters were sent, but all correspondence was ignored.

The matter was heard by Tameside Magistrates on 23 September, but Ms Butler failed to attend court and the hearing took place in her absence. Magistrates ordered her to pay a total of £2,090 – a £1,000 fine, £550 costs and £440 victim surcharge

Courts have special powers to collect fines, even when an offender has failed to attend the prosecution. If the fine isn’t paid the court can: take the money from their wages or benefits;

send bailiffs to their home and; ‘register’ the fine - this means the fine will stay on their credit history for five years. In extreme cases the offender may be put in prison.

Tameside Council Assistant Executive Member for Enforcement Cllr Hugh Roderick said: “There is absolutely no excuse for flytipping, it blights local neighbourhoods, ruining the appearance of our streets and costing the council thousands of pounds from our very limited budget to clear – this is public money which could instead be spent on vital frontline services supporting residents.

“We have officers out every day clearing and investigating flytipping and we will always take enforcement action where we find evidence. So far this year we have carried out ten prosecutions in relation to waste offences and issued 271 fixed penalty notices. My thanks goes to our very dedicated officers involved in the work and to all residents who work with us to look after their local areas.”

For information on how to report flytipping and information that will assist investigations see www.tameside.gov.uk/flytipping