Basingstoke ObserverA woman has been ordered to pay £354 after fly-tipping plastic and cardboard packaging in a residential parking space in Popley.
During a hearing at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 15 March, Ruth Cliverd, 59, of Tasmania Close, pleaded guilty to depositing the items at the parking space in Tasmania Close.
The court heard that on Friday 23 July 2021 a large quantity of household waste was discovered dumped in a car parking space in Tasmania Close. The waste included an old dismantled cream leather sofa, plastic packaging, cardboard packaging, old drawers and sections of old wooden cabinets. A member of the public inspected the waste and a label was found containing the defendant’s name and address.
During interviews with officers from Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Cliverd admitted depositing the plastic packaging and cardboard packaging on Wednesday 7 July 2021 but denied fly-tipping the sofa, drawers or wooden cabinets.
Magistrates ordered her to pay a fine of £120 with £200 towards prosecution costs and a £34 victim surcharge.
Cabinet Member for Recycling, Waste and Regulatory Services Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “I am really grateful to the member of the public who helped us to achieve another successful prosecution for fly-tipping. Incidents like this blight our residential areas and by tackling it together we can improve the borough for everyone. I would encourage everyone to report offences if they come across them.
This offender now has a criminal record as well as a significant fine to pay and I hope that this will act as a deterrent to other would-be fly-tippers. Our message is clear - we will continue to prosecute fly-tipping wherever we can.”
In a separate incident, a Baughurst man who dumped his waste in a remote country lane has been ordered to pay £1,864 by the courts.
At Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court, Verdine Christopher Mohamed, 33, of Heath End Road pleaded guilty to fly-tipping rubbish which included black plastic sacks, cardboard packaging, food packaging and a silver plastic bin at Wall Lane, Silchester in September last year.
During the hearing on Tuesday 22 March, the court heard that the household waste was discovered by a Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council cleansing operative and after inspection a packaging label was found with a relative’s name and Mohamed’s address.
Magistrates fined Mohamed £984, told him to pay £573 towards prosecution costs, £209 in clear-up costs and £98 in victim surcharge.
Cabinet Member for Recycling, Waste and Regulatory Services Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “As a council we will continue with our zero-tolerance approach and will prosecute offenders where it is appropriate. This is a significant fine and the defendant now has a criminal record. I hope this acts as a deterrent for any would-be fly-tippers.”
Fly-tipping carries a maximum of five years imprisonment at crown court. Since May 2018 the council has convicted 41 individuals and companies for fly-tipping and related waste offences.
You can report fly-tipping to the council by calling 01256 844844 or by visiting www.basingstoke.gov.uk/flytipping.
