Vale of White Horse District Council has successfully prosecuted a plasterer from Faringdon whose building waste was dumped across a rural road after he paid two strangers to get rid of it.
He had paid the men £25 to get rid of the waste but has ended up being ordered to pay more than £1,600 by a court because it was then fly-tipped.
Neil Litt, aged 38, of Clements Way, Faringdon appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Monday 25 February and pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care for the disposal of waste.
Magistrates described this incident as an ‘appalling fly-tip’ and ordered him to pay a £450 fine (an early guilty plea was taken into account and the fact that he had co-operated throughout the investigation), costs of £1,142.90 and a victim surcharge of £30.
In November 2018, two fly-tips at Snowswick Lane, Buscot near Faringdon were reported to Vale of White Horse District Council.
The first, which was partly dumped on the road, consisted of plaster bags, rubble and metal strips. The second, which was considerably larger, was around 50 metres away on the same road, at the entrance to a farmer’s field. It included plaster bags, rubble, metal strips, wood, bags and general building waste.
Evidence linked the fly-tip to Mr Litt, who was interviewed and confirmed that much of the waste was his, but he had not dumped it. He explained that while he was having his van repaired at a business park at Chowle Farm, near Faringdon he arranged with some men he met to get building waste removed from his home. On 15 November at about 5.30pm, he helped two men load the waste from his home into their van and paid them £25 to take it away.
He did not know the men, their names, whether they were authorised to transport waste, nor did he receive any receipt or paperwork.
In mitigation Mr Litt said he felt very stupid that this had happened. He said that there were a number of skips at Chowle Farm and he had thought these men would dispose of the waste there. However, he hadn’t discussed where the waste was going to be disposed of.
Councillor Elaine Ware, cabinet member for housing and environment at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “This case shows that everyone must be aware of their responsibilities when it comes to getting rid of waste.
“By law people must make sure anyone who removes rubbish does so legally. If it’s not and then is fly-tipped they can be prosecuted.”
- For waste removal advice please see our website page Waste removal – how to stay legal
