Fly-tipper brought to justice in Doncaster
One of the most prolific fly-tippers in Doncaster has been brought to justice thanks to the hard work of council staff.
James McIntyre, of Rossington, was given a suspended jail sentence and ordered to work 200 unpaid hours in the community, following a hearing at Doncaster Magistrates Court on Wednesday 5 July at which he pleaded guilty to seven counts of fly-tipping.
McIntyre’s prosecution comes as Doncaster Council issues a warning to homeowners to ensure they don’t give their waste to unauthorised carriers, as they could face punishment themselves.
McIntyre’s fly-tipping offences took place across the town, and came after he posted adverts on Facebook to promote his waste collection service. Unsuspecting homeowners would pass him their rubbish without checking if he had a valid Waste Carrier’s Licence, with McIntyre then dumping the waste at various spots across the borough.
McIntyre was caught after an investigation from Doncaster Council’s Enforcement team, working in partnership with other council staff. On inspecting five instances of dumped waste, evidence was found by the council’s officers that contained addresses. This led the team to speak to the homeowners involved, who when interviewed described how they had hired McIntyre after speaking to him on Facebook. This allowed Enforcement to trace him online and eventually uncover the magnitude of his environmental crimes.
Initially, McIntyre was questioned by Enforcement in relation to five offences and was charged for these. However, he continued to commit offences after this interview and was caught out twice more, including once occasion when he was filmed by a covert camera dumping rubbish in Wheatley.
His total disregard for the law has been punished by magistrates, who have also ordered McIntyre to pay £500 towards costs.
This case is being used as an example of the importance of passing waste to an accredited collector. In these circumstances, the householders passing the waste to an unauthorised collector placed themselves in jeopardy of being prosecuted because of their duty of care to make sure waste is disposed of properly.
In this case, the council made a conscious decision to try and educate the public rather than mount prosecutions, accordingly the householders were given advice about their obligations.
The council have issued the following tips will help you identify if the person taking away your rubbish is legitimate:
Check the Government’s website of accredited waste carriers
Ask the person collecting the waste to show you’re their Waste Carrier’s Licence
Ask to take a photo of the number plate of the vehicle they’re using