Rogue traders fined £3,000 for dumping rubbish.
Milton Keynes City Council is warning residents to check a trader’s waste carrier license before paying them to remove rubbish, after two men were ordered to pay around £3,000 in fines and costs for illegal dumping.
Benjamin Lewis, 36, of Stevington, Bedfordshire and Daniel McCartney, 33, of Stony Stratford were contacted by two Milton Keynes residents after they spotted a social media advert offering the pair’s services.
A price was agreed to clear garden and other waste but instead of disposing of it properly, Lewis and McCartney illegally dumped it near homes at Woodhouse Court in Stantonbury.
Milton Keynes City Council’s Environmental Crime Officers discovered the rubbish and as well as arranging a clear up, traced it back to the homes it came from.
The matter went to court where Lewis and McCartney were fined £320 each and made to pay a victim surcharge of £128 each, as well as the City Council’s investigation and legal costs of £2,000. Lewis also pleaded guilty to one other offence of fly tipping. Neither had a waste carrier’s license.
In this instance, the original residents did not get fined, but the City Council is reminding local people that if someone else fly tips your waste, you may be prosecuted yourself.
While a ‘too good to be true’ price for waste removal can be tempting, it’s essential to check who you are paying to take items away. Always check the trader has a valid waste carrier’s license – if they don’t, they’re operating illegally.
You can check this easily on the GOV.UK website.
“We won’t hesitate to crack down on fly tipping as it’s unsightly and can be dangerous, as well as being expensive for us to clean up,” said Cllr Jennifer Wilson-Marklew, Cabinet Member for the Public Realm.
“The court understood the seriousness of these offences and this pair are paying the price. I can’t stress enough that everyone needs to take responsibility for their rubbish – it only takes a moment to check someone has a waste carrier license. If they don’t, and your waste ends up dumped then you are at risk of being prosecuted.”
