Builder fined after waste is found fly-tipped at a beauty spot in Stokenchurch
On Wednesday 14th September 2016 a 35 year old man of Sandhurst Road, Catford, London pleaded guilty at Wycombe Magistrates Court to an offence of failing in his duty of care regarding waste which he produced during building work in London.
The court heard that in March 2016 the man was carrying out renovation work on a domestic residence in Bloemfontein Road, Shepherds Bush, West London. During that work waste was removed by a ‘man with a van‘.
However the waste was later found dumped illegally in a wooded beauty spot at Bigmore Lane, Horsleys Green, Stokenchurch as shown in the pictures accompanying this news article. Items within the dumped waste were traced directly to the householder at the Bloemfontein Road address who put investigators in touch with the 35 year old man from Catford.
When interviewed the man fully admitted transferring waste to a ‘man with a van‘ who he could only identify as ‘Patrick’. He gave investigators two mobile telephone numbers which proved unhelpful. The 35 year old man said that the man identified as ‘Patrick’ had seen work being carried out at the premises and presented himself as a waste carrier. The 35 year old man said he had taken pity on him as he appeared poor, so gave him work removing waste from the job. He acknowledged that this had proved to be a mistake.
The magistrates fined the 35 year old man £325 and ordered clean-up and prosecution costs to be paid in the sum of £961. A victim surcharge of £33 was also levied – making a total to pay of £1,319.
Cllr Mike Smith, Chairman of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, said: ‘The duty of care with waste disposal means we are all responsible for what happens to our waste unless we take all reasonable steps to avoid fly-tipping – and this includes checking that anyone taking it away is licensed to do so.
The Waste Partnership is committed to reducing the public costs of fly-tipping by rigorously enforcing this duty on householders and those who carry out work for them. In this case a builder transferred a large quantity of waste to a ‘man with a van’ without making the proper checks on his credentials, and ended up with a fine and a criminal record.‘
Details of fly-tipped waste can be reported easily by uploading information, including location and photos online or on your mobile at www.buckscc.gov.uk/fly.
