Hartlepool man fined more than £4,000 after he was caught flytipping multiple times

Durham County Council took action against Nigel Harker, of Leven Grove, after he was spotted by council staff and caught on CCTV dumping waste illegally on a number of occasions.

During a hearing at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court, it was heard that in August 2020, a council neighbourhood warden discovered waste had been left on Faraday Road, North East Industrial Estate, in Peterlee, following a routine check of the area.

CCTV footage showed a white Ford Transit tipper van stop at the site and then when it left the area, general household waste had been dumped.

In September 2020, a council officer witnessed garden waste being dumped from the same vehicle on Armstrong Road at the North East Industrial Estate.

As the officer approached, the vehicle drove away with its tipper still in an upright position and the tailboard hanging down.

A further flytip was then identified in November 2020 on a road near to Sheraton Hall Farm, near Hartlepool.

Wardens attended the location and observed a different flatbed tipper truck parked at the farm’s entrance. The vehicle sped off when the wardens attempted to follow it.

An address was obtained from the rubbish and when council officers spoke to a man about it, he confirmed Harker had approached him earlier in the week about removal of waste.

Harker had told the man that he had the correct licence to dispose of waste, as well as wearing a high visibility vest with a council logo on it.

As a result, Harker was issued with a section 108 notice requesting he attend council offices to assist with the council’s investigation.

He did not attend the summon and was issued with two further notices, which he also failed to attend.

Despite this, he pleaded guilty to three charges of flytipping and one charge of failing to assist the council with its investigation.

He was ordered to pay a £2,400 fine, £1,562.30 waste clearance and investigation costs, and a £190 victim surcharge.

Harker was also issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order for a period of five years, which requires him to produce a valid waste carrier’s license to the council to prove he is licensed to dispose of waste.

It also prohibits him from implying that he is acting as a waste carrier on behalf of any official body or authority.

Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “We treat flytipping as a very serious offence.

"Not only does it cause environmental damage, but it also negatively impacts our countryside and open areas, and can block assess to roads, pathways and land.

"We know that flytipping is a significant concern among our residents, and we want to do everything we can to tackle it.

“In this case, Harker was proven to have flytipped on multiple occasions and failed to assist us with our investigation. This hearing shows how important it is to dispose of waste correctly, as we will take action against those who do so illegally.”

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