Three offences in one for fly-tipper
A Southampton man has been made to pay thousands of pounds after dumping bathroom renovation waste along Roman Road in Chilworth before Christmas last year.
Brad McKenner, who was 18 at the time, was also guilty of failing to have any of the licences needed to dispose of the waste legally. Mr McKenner didn’t hold a waste carrier licence or a scrap metal licence, despite advertising both of those services.
After the fly-tip was dumped, Test Valley Borough Council began an investigation, which has led to a successful prosecution of Mr McKenner, who has now been ordered to pay a total of £2,294 in court costs and fines.
A resident was having their bathroom renovated last year, when Mr McKenner collected the waste having advertised his services on Facebook. However, the council’s environmental services team were then contacted about a fly-tip on Roman Road which included a bath, basin and broken tiles.
Upon launching an investigation, the authority contacted the defendant, leading to a day in court last month in front of magistrates in Southampton.
Mr McKenner, 19, of Dewent Road, Southampton, admitted three offences in court. He pleaded guilty to fly-tipping, to carrying waste without a licence, and not holding a scrap metal licence. He was fined £1,100 in total, ordered to pay £1,084 in court costs and a £110 victim surcharge.
Environmental portfolio holder, councillor Alison Johnston, said: “As a council, we have a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to fly-tipping. To anyone thinking of committing this selfish act, I hope that fact is, by now, plainly clear.
“However, the offences that contribute to that act, including the lack of a scrap metal licence, are just as serious and something that I would like to emphasise. Mr McKenner, in this matter, stated that he did not know that this was necessary, but ignorance to the law is no excuse. It also highlights the need to check that your waste carrier is correctly licenced. You can do this via the Environment Agency website.
“My thanks, as always, go to our environmental service officers and their legal counterparts for securing this fantastic result. If you have any concerns or doubts about your waste, please contact us on 01264 368000 or 01794 5227700.”