A tipper has been ordered to pay more than £25,000 after dumping rubbish four times in a month on the same road.
Hertsmere Borough Council said the fine imposed on Tavengwa Mativavarira was the largest in its history.
Mativavarira, of Bedford Avenue, High Barnet, dumped rubbish four times in July last year in Galley Lane on the border between Hertsmere and Barnet.
The flytips included a mattress, chairs, box spring, lumber, construction waste, toilet, sink, carpet, cardboard, and general mixed waste.
The council says its officers gathered evidence from the scene that led them to Mativavarira’s address.
Rubbish in Galley Lane. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council
At St Albans Magistrates’ Court on May 25, Mativavarira pleaded guilty to four counts of flytipping and 12 counts of breaches of duty of care.
He was ordered to pay £23,920 in fines, along with £1,480 to Hertsmere Borough Council to cover costs and a victim fine surcharge of £190.
Cllr Seamus Quilty, who holds environmental responsibilities on the council, said: ‘I am really pleased with the outcome of this hearing, the largest of its kind in Hertsmere.
“My thanks go to the environmental health team for their excellent work in stopping this offender from continuing to leave hazardous construction waste in public spaces and to our legal team for successfully pursuing the case.”
Rubbish dumped in Galley Lane. Credit: Hertsmere Borough Council
Cllr Quilty added that the case “sends a clear message” to those willing to harm the environment and “burn the countryside”.
He said: “Flytipping wastes our limited public resources, destroys our countryside and urban public spaces and, in some cases, clearance costs and inconvenience to private landowners.
“With so many great recycling centers and household tips, there is no excuse for this. This case shows how you might be able to run, but you can’t hide forever.”
Environmental Crime Manager Harry Tuck added: ‘This was an exceptional case in that there was a distinct pattern of recidivism in such a short time. The fine imposed by the courts on this occasion clearly shows that flytipping will not be tolerated in Hertsmere.
“We will continue to prosecute those who commit waste crimes in our borough and I urge the public to report any incidents they witness.”
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Source: www.times-series.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-05-27 11:09:31
