Sunderland woman who lost bin faces £458 court bill after dumping rubbish in back lane

Michelle Scott, of Mainsforth Terrace West, Hendon, Sunderland, has been ordered to pay £458 after pleading guilty to breaching the Environmental Protection Act by leaving clothing and general waste in black liners and carrier bags without permission.

Sunderland City Council, which undertook the prosecution, said recent public consultations have shown “that residents want to see more enforcement for this type of anti-social behaviour”, adding: “We are determined to do everything we can to stamp it out.”

Scott, 48, admitted knowingly depositing controlled waste, “namely approximately five black bin bags and several carrier bags containing clothing and general household waste”, without a valid waste management permit on or around May 15, 2019.

In mitigation, she said she placed the rubbish in a back lane to the rear of Hendon Valley Road because she had lost her wheelie bin.

South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court ordered her to pay a £40 fine, £68 compensation, £30 victim surcharge and £320 courts.

Councillor Graeme Miller, the leader of Sunderland City Council, said afterwards: “Fly-tipping and littering is not only illegal but also a blight on our neighbourhoods and community.

“The majority of our residents take pride in the city but there are always a few who spoil it for everyone else.

“One of the main things to come out of our recent Let’s Talk consultations is that residents want to see more enforcement for this type of anti-social behaviour and as a council we are determined to do everything we can to stamp it out.

“I'd also like to thank all the residents who take the time and trouble to report fly-tipping when they see it.

"This not only allows us to remove the waste, but where possible to track down those responsible and take action against them.”

The council set up a new Neighbourhood Enforcement Team to tackle environmental offences across the city earlier this year.

Its actions are supported and promoted by the Echo as part of our own Clean Streets campaign.

The council has also conducted a number of other successful prosecutions recently for littering offences.

They include a woman having to pay more than £200 in fines and associated court costs after she was convicted at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court of dropping a pasty in Sunderland city centre.

Three other women from the city face similar bills after they either pleaded guilty to or were convicted of discarding cigarettes in the city centre by the same court.

Littering, fly-tipping and other environmental offences can be reported to Sunderland City Council at www.sunderland.gov.uk/report-it.

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