Rogue trader fined £2,300 for illegally dumping waste

A “man with a van” rogue trader who advertised his services on Facebook has been ordered to pay more than £2,300 after taking payment to remove household waste then illegally dumping it.

Tameside Magistrate’s Court heard a Tameside Council enforcement officer investigated reports of flytipping in Audenshaw on March 28, 2022. The officer visited two locations – Lumn Lane and Audenshaw Road – and found three piles of rubbish. 

The officer found evidence linking the waste to two residents who later informed the council they had arranged for Leon’s Removal Services – whom they had contacted via Facebook – to remove waste from their homes. They provided receipts for the waste removal with contact information for the business.

As part of their investigations, the council’s waste enforcement team also found CCTV evidence of the waste being fly-tipped on Audenshaw Road.

Leon Gleave, of Barrington Street, Manchester, who owns Leon’s Removal Services, was invited several times to attend an interview under caution at Tameside Council’s offices. Leon failed to attend all interviews.

The case was initially heard at Wigan Magistrates’ Court on November 6, 2023. Mr Gleave failed to attend court and was found guilty in his absence of two counts of fly-tipping and two counts of failing in his duty of care.

A warrant was issued for Mr Gleave’s arrest, following which he was bailed to appear before Tameside magistrates for sentencing this week.

Mr Gleave told the court he had paid subcontractors to remove the waste and that he had paid them in good faith as they had given him an invoice for the work. However, the invoice was not produced in court. He claimed that this “error” had cost him his entire business.

Magistrates fined him £300 and ordered him to pay clean-up costs of £1,032.97 and prosecution costs of £1,000.

Tameside Council assistant executive member for Enforcement, Cllr Hugh Roderick said: “This case really highlights the issue of rogue traders who often answer ‘man with a van’ type call outs on social media but then they don’t dispose of the waste legally. 

“It also serves a reminder to householders that they have a legal responsibility to always make sure they use licensed waste carriers to remove waste, ask to see their certificate, ask for a receipt and ask where the waste will be disposed of. In this case, the residents had asked for receipts and I thank them for supporting our enquiries, helping to bring this offender to justice.

“Fly-tipping is completely unacceptable, is leaves neighbourhoods looking a mess and it costs the council thousands of pounds in clean up costs, diverting our very limited funds from other public services. We have officers out every day clearing and investigating flytipping and will always take enforcement action where we find evidence. So far this year we have issued 271 fixed penalty notices and carried out 10 prosecutions for waste offences.”