Published: Monday 23rd January 2017 | 3.04pm
Cannock Chase Council has been successful in prosecuting a Cannock man for fly tipping.
On 16 January 2017, Carl Munn, aged 44 of Rigby Road, Chadsmoor pleaded guilty to two waste offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, after a large amount of waste was found fly tipped on Trinity Church car park on Station Road in Hednesford on 8 October 2015.
Evidence was found in the waste leading to a resident who informed officers they had paid Mr Munn £170 to remove the waste. CCTV footage from a nearby shop recorded Mr Munn and another male loading the waste into a vehicle. The same vehicle was also recorded by CCTV at Poplars Waste Facility where employees remembered the vehicle was turned away from the site as the driver refused to pay to dispose of the waste. The waste was later found in the car park by representatives of the church.
Mr Munn pleaded guilty for failing in his duty of care and the unauthorised deposit of waste and was fined £320, ordered to pay costs of £1080 and a victim surcharge of £32, totalling £1432 by Newcastle-Under-Lyme Magistrates Court.
Councillor John Preece, Environment Portfolio Leader said “I would urge everyone in the District to be the Council’s eyes and ears and to report any fly tipping to us. We are determined to stamp out fly tipping, which is a blight on our communities and our countryside. But we do need the public’s help on this. This case demonstrates that, when we have the evidence, we will be rigorous in getting a prosecution.”
The Council is continuing to offer a £100 reward to anyone who provides evidence that leads to the successful conviction of any person, business or other organisation involved in fly tipping waste in the District.
Anyone who witnesses fly tipping in the District is urged to report it to Cannock Chase Council by calling 01543 462621.
Key information to pass on includes:
- The date and time of the incident
- The model, make, registration number and colour of any vehicle used
- A description of the offender or offenders
It can also be reported online at www.cannockchasedc.gov.uk
In addition to the prosecution of offenders the Council has recently been given additional powers to issue those caught fly tipping with a £400 Fixed Penalty Notice. Officers will be using this new power for smaller scale incidents alongside the existing power to prosecute in cases where larger amounts of waste have been dumped.