Durham County Council took legal action against Dale Hudson after waste found near the A167 between Ferryhill and Chilton, contained details of his company, Thomas Plastering
A plasterer has been slapped with a fine of over £800 after his company’s details were found on rubbish dumped on farmland. Durham County Council took Dale Hudson to court when waste discovered near the A167 between Ferryhill and Chilton was traced back to his firm, Thomas Plastering.
Hudson was contacted by the council regarding the fly-tipped rubbish. In conversation with a neighbourhood warden, he claimed that a third party had been hired to dispose of his business waste.
However, Peterlee Magistrates’ Court heard that Hudson, from Dene Road in Ferryhill, was unwilling to provide further information about this third party at the time. As a result, the council issued him with two notices requiring his attendance at an interview to aid their investigation into the fly-tipping incident.
Although Hudson eventually provided a name for the third party, he refused to give any contact details. He ignored further attempts at contact by the council and failed to show up for the scheduled interview.
The magistrates found 42 year old Hudson guilty of neglecting his duty of care concerning waste disposal, resulting in fly-tipping, and of failing to assist with the subsequent investigation. He was ordered to pay a fine of £150, legal costs of £600, and a victim surcharge of £60, bringing the total to £810, reports Chronicle Live.
Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, stated: “Whether disposing of waste yourself, or paying a licensed provider to remove it on your behalf, your waste is always your responsibility. When arranging for a third party to dispose of rubbish, it is so important that you make sure they have a valid waste transfer license. By not doing so, you run the risk of it being disposed of illegally which can result in you paying the fine.
“We know that our communities value the work we do to tackle flytipping, and we will investigate every incident that is reported to us. As this case shows, by not assisting with an investigation you can face legal action. We would encourage everyone to make sure they know where their waste is going and take every effort to ensure that it is disposed of responsibly.”
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