Flytipper caught on camera dumping trade waste at village recycling centre

A flytipper who dumped commercial waste at the Eynsford Recycling Centre was filmed unloading it from his van despite warning signs that Sevenoaks District Council had CCTV in the area and that fly tipping is an offence.

As a result, Tony Waters of 15 Celia Road, West Kingsdown, was prosecuted at Sevenoaks Magistrates’ Court on Friday 9 August (2019).

Forty-six year old Waters pleaded guilty to dumping commercial waste at the Eynsford Recycling Centre on 9 May 2018. He was ordered to pay £260 in costs and a £20 Victim Surcharge totalling £280. The judge took into account Waters was unemployed. However, he was handed a two-year conditional discharge and was told by the judge that the punishment will be more severe if he is caught fly-tipping in the next 24 months. Waters now has a criminal record.

Waters was originally due at court on 5 July 2019 but failed to turn up. He was subsequently arrested by Kent Police at his home on 31 July 2019 and bailed until the rearranged court hearing on 9 August.

Sevenoaks District Council’s Fly-Tipping Enforcement Team investigated the incident and brought the case to court. During their investigations, the Council found Waters had regularly advertised his business on Facebook even though he did not have a Waste Carrier’s Licence from the Environment Agency. Waters twice declined to be interviewed by the Council about the fly-tipping incident.

The commercial waste was traced back to a company based in Sidcup that hired Waters after seeing his advert on Facebook. However, the business failed to check he had a Waste Carrier’s Licence and was given a £300 fixed penalty notice from the Council.

Cllr Margot McArthur, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Cleaner and Greener, said: “Mr Waters may have thought he was above the law by illegally fly tipping and refusing to attend court. But we do not give up that easily and with the help of Kent Police, we made sure Mr Waters faced justice for his crime.

“This case shows that everyone has a duty of care when disposing of their waste. It’s advisable to check if the individual or business taking your rubbish has a valid Waste Carrier’s Licence, otherwise you could face a fine.”

Residents can check if someone has a Waste Carrier’s licence on the Environment Agency’s website https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers

 

* Sevenoaks District Council provides a waste collection service for large items. Residents should call 01732 227000 or visit www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/refuse for details.