Sunderland residents ordered to pay almost £2,000 for flytipping as Council clamp down on anti-social behaviour

Two residents in Sunderland have been ordered by South Tyneside Magistrates Court to pay fines as the Council ‘clamp down’ on anti-social behaviour.

Hetton resident Stephen Fraser, of Derwent Street, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £285 costs and a £100 victim surcharge after failing to cooperate with an investigation into waste found dumped in the car park at Station Road, Hetton in September last year.

The waste included building renovation materials, wooden planks and bricks also contained letters relating to an address on North Road and further enquiries established that Mr Fraser had been paid to remove the waste legally from the address.

Sunderland City Council say Mr Fraser was given the opportunity to explain how the waste got there in an interview under caution but did not attend this or a subsequent invitation to an interview under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995.A second city resident, Carla Crompton, of Dene Street, Sunderland was fined £40 and ordered to pay clean-up costs of £69.64, a victim surcharge of £34 and costs of £368 after household waste dumped in the back lane behind her home in July 2020, was traced back to her address.

Council chiefs say Miss Crompton was given the chance to explain how the four bags of waste including used nappies, broken glass, tin cans and food waste got there in an interview under caution, but chose not to respond.

Nor did she pay the subsequent fixed penalty notice despite several reminder letters, resulting in her being taken to court.

In the last 24 months the City Council has carried out 385 fly tipping investigations, 78 fixed penalty notices and 13 successful prosecutions, resulting in fines totalling £10,050 being paid to the council.

The Council say the money has been used to help pay towards the costs of cleaning up litter and fly-tipping, keeping highways clean, and enforcement against littering graffiti and fly-posting.

Councillor Claire Rowntree, Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council, said: "We’re extremely pleased with the fine levels, which send a very clear message that failure to provide assistance in fly-tipping investigations can result in a hefty fine."

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