Scrap dealer could lose licence after '˜dreadful' flytipping

Glyn Stubbs, 42, caused an eyesore when he blocked a public highway in Easington Lane last April.

He has now been fined after appearing at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court.

Sunderland City Council said it is writing to the Environment Agency to look at revoking his waste carrier licence.

Prosecutor Jim Wotherspoon said: “This is a prosecution brought by Sunderland Council under Section 43 of the Environmental Protection Act.

“It is an offence for a person to deposit a controlled waste unless a waste management licence is held and the waste is being disposed of an in accordance with that licence.

“This is an offence which carries a maximum penalty of £50,000

“It is an either-way offence, which if sent to crown court can carry up to five years’ imprisonment.”

Mr Wotherspoon said that on April 14 last year, the council received a phonecall from a resident in Easington Lane.

“A large quantity of wood, tyres and building materials had been dumped at Frosterley Close near the entrance to a field where he keeps horses and the road was completely blocked,” Mr Wotherspoon said.

The following day, the court heard a council employee attended the site to find “a large amount of waste strewn across the highway”.

Mr Wotherspoon said the items included tyres, rubble and cardboard boxes, carrying the address of a business in Gateshead.

CCTV footage from the address showed the waste being removed from the premises in a van.

“Enquiries revealed the property had been removed by Mr G Stubbs from Hetton,” Mr Wotherspoon added.

“He admitted liability for illegally depositing waste on the site, which had no environmental permit in place for depositing waste.

“Frosterley Close is on a housing estate. The city council has spent a considerable amount of money on waste deposits in the area, it is a fly-tipping hot spot.”

The bill related to Stubbs’ fly-tipping came to £680, the court heard.

Stubbs, of Bedale Street, Hetton, admitted depositing controlled waste on land without the authority of a current environmental permit.

Representing himself, the dad-of-three told the court he is a self-employed scrap dealer, collecting door-to-door, earning £200 to £500 per week.

He said: “It was just a silly mistake. I apologise.

“I was actually going to take it to the recycling but it was shut.”

Bench chairwoman Joan Green said: “This is a particularly dreadful offence as you are actually a licenced scrap metal dealer and you know how to get rid of waste.

“We have looked at the pictures and we are appalled. It’s terrible.”

He was fined £506 and was told to pay £685 prosecution costs.

In a separate case, Steven Cook, of Tower Street West, Hendon, admitted depositing controlled waste on grassed land off Ryhope Road, without an environmental permit.

The case related to Cook fly-tipping a large quantity of white plasterboard and household furniture on April 21, last year on grass land off Ryhope Road, Ryhope.

The waste included a large amount of rubble, building waste, plasterboard, cardboard boxes, wood and cream leather chairs.

He was fined £310 and was told to pay £421 in prosecution costs.

Speaking after the cases, Coun Michael Mordey, Sunderland City Council Portfolio Holder for City Services, said: “We welcome today’s court prosecutions, it sends out a clear message that fly-tipping is a criminal offence and that those responsible will be prosecuted.

“With new council powers fly-tippers face a fixed penalty of £350 and we will actively pursue court action against anyone involved in this type of anti-social behaviour.

“The vast majority of people in Sunderland want a cleaner and greener city and we can no longer tolerate those who are not making the effort to help keep our streets, parks, playing fields and neighbourhoods clean and tidy.

“In Mr Stubbs’ case, the council is contacting the Environment Agency about whether it would look at revoking his Waste Carrier Licence.

“Anyone with concerns about fly-tipping should contact their local councillor immediately.”