Community campaign brings fly tipper to justice

A TWO-YEAR community campaign has seen a Dukinfield man finally fined over fly tipping.

Charles Sutcliffe, of Southfield Close, was ordered to pay more than £1,300 after admitting four offences at Tameside Magistrates Court.

And local councillor John Taylor, who has been part of the push to get him in the court, believes the effort was worth it.

He told The Correspondent: “I followed him and he even threatened to sue me at one stage for harassing him.

Cllr John Taylor on Johnsonbrook Road a fly tipping hot spot in Dukinfield

“I had residents on the estate telling when he had his car full of rubbish, we photographed it and found it in certain places.

“He’d advertise and was a serial fly tipper. We’ve got CCTV of him fly tipping, including a sofa in Hattersley.

“But getting the conviction means a lot to me. I had a lot of concerned people who were determined to catch him too – people who were prepared to stand up in court in front of him and say, ‘He did it.’

“It was a good joint effort and it sends a message out too.”

A fly-tipper has been convicted after a huge community campaign

On March 7 last year, Sutcliffe dumped a sofa on June Street, Ashton. A week later, he dumped a single bed and builders’ waste on the same site.

On May 15 May, he fly tipped a gaming chair on Bennett Street in Newton and then on August 12, he dumped more building waste on June Street.

The court heard Mr Sutcliffe was using his recently deceased’s wife’s mobility vehicle to dump the waste and that he had carried out the offences to try to pay off debts.

Fly-tipping has been a blight on the area

Tameside Council enforcement officers investigated the case after receiving information from members of the local community.

On Monday, May 9, magistrates ordered him to pay a total £1,365.54, comprising of a fine of £320, a victim surcharge £34 and Tameside Council’s clean up costs £1,011.54.

A Tameside Council spokesperson said: “We’re pleased to see this successful result in court and would like to thank the members of the public who passed on information about the offence to us so we could investigate.“There is no excuse for fly tipping. Fly tipping is illegal, unacceptable and disrespectful to the local community and environment.

“We have officers out every day investigating fly tipping and will always take action against the offenders where we find sufficient evidence.

“If waste is fly tipped, by you or by someone else on your behalf, you could face an unlimited fine and a criminal record.

“It is a legal requirement that householders check their waste is being disposed of legally and responsibly and they should beware of ‘man in a van’ type services often seen on social media which may not be registered and responsible waste carriers.

“If you are asking a third party, like a builder or contractor, to dispose of waste on your behalf, you should ensure they are a registered waste carrier.

“You are responsible for checking they are registered, so always ask to see their certificate.

Always get a receipt confirming what they have taken and where they have disposed of it and details of any payment made.”

3 Replies to “Community campaign brings fly tipper to justice”

  1. brings fly tipper to justice”is not enough they should be made to go round the area were they fly tip and clean it up for free for 6 weeks, as well as getting a big fine and taken to court. i am disabled and fly tippers keep putting all sorts outside the gate of my house, this stops me from going out as i can not get my mobility scooter out with the rubbish my only way in and out with my scooter, even though i have got them on cctv it does not stop them .worst of all they live in the next street to my house,and they use the same gate to put the bins out. i wish the council would do something about these people, i have cctv of these fly tippers if the council would like it

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