Dustpan fly-tipper fined £2,000 after court no-show

A fly-tipper has been fined £2,000 after he was found guilty of dumping rubbish in an alley behind his home.

Enio Freitas, of Queen Street in Ashton threw out bin bags, cardboard boxes, polystyrene packaging and even a dustpan between Kings Road and Kenworthy Avenue – where he lived at the time - on July 23 last year. 

TMBC enforcement officers traced the trash to Freitas, who ignored a fixed penalty notice and didn’t appear at Tameside Magistrates’ Court despite being summoned twice. 

He was again a no-show when the case came before magistrates on Monday September 9, who found him guilty of fly-tipping in his absence under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990. 

They fined him £1,100 for the offence, a £440 victim surcharge, and £426 in court costs. 

“This is a great result and the severity of the fine imposed sends a clear message that fly-tipping is wholly unacceptable,” said Cllr Hugh Roderick, Tameside Council’s Assistant Executive Member for Enforcement. 

“Our officers are out every day investigating waste, littering and fly-tipping offences as part of the council’s Our Streets campaign to make our streets cleaner and safer and we will always take enforcement action where we find evidence for who is responsible.  

“So far this year we have carried out seven successful prosecutions and issued 223 fixed penalty notices in relation to waste offences.  

“I know that fly-tipping and litter is of great concern to the local community, most of whom dispose of their waste responsibly and take pride in their local neighbourhoods, and my thanks goes to everyone who works with us in tackling this issue.” 

The fine is by far the largest handed down by Tameside magistrates for fly-tipping so far this year.