Legal News

Magistrates in Darlington have issued fines of £4,000, after eight defendants faced charges relating to environmental offences in June.

Darlington Council brought the prosecutions for fly tipping and littering offences.

Duane Corrie, 28, of Richmond Close in Darlington was fined £920 and ordered to pay £326.19 costs and £92 victim surcharge after he pleaded guilty to a fly tipping offence.

The court heard various piles of assorted waste – including wood, cardboard and plasterboard – were found by Darlington Borough Council officers in Walworth Back Lane on 30 December 2015.

Documents found among the waste included an address in Richmond Close, which checks confirmed was Mr Corrie’s home address. When interviewed on 5 January 2016, he admitted that some of the waste was his, but not all of it.

Stacey Clixby, 35, of Haughton Road in Darlington was fined £220 and ordered to pay £150 costs and £22 victim surcharge after a Section 110 (failure to attend interview and answer questions in relation to a fly tip) offence was proved in her absence.

Nichola Ann Coates, 40, of Geneva Road in Darlington was fined £220 and ordered to pay £360 costs and £22 victim surcharge after an abandoned vehicle offence was proved in her absence.

Laura Dodsworth, 32, of Leonard Street in Darlington, was fined £220 and ordered to pay £150 costs and £22 victim surcharge after a littering offence was proved in her absence.

Bethany Parkes, 28, also of Leonard Street in Darlington, was fined £220 and ordered to pay £150 costs and £22 victim surcharge after a Section 110 (failure to attend interview and answer questions in relation to a fly tip) offence was proved in her absence.

Rachael Donaghy, 28, of Allan Street in Darlington was fined £220 and ordered to pay £150 costs and £22 victim surcharge after a littering offence was proved in her absence.

Helen McGinty, 38, of Eastmount Road in Darlington was fined £220 and ordered to pay £150 costs and £22 victim surcharge after a Section 110 (failure to attend interview and answer questions in relation to a fly tip) offence was proved in her absence.

Craig Nicholson, 28, of Middleton Street in Darlington was fined £75 and ordered to pay £150 costs and £20 victim surcharge after pleading guilty to littering.

After sentencing, Darlington Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Leisure and Local Environment, Councillor Nick Wallis, said:

“The annual cost of street cleaning and clearing up after such incidents to Darlington tax payers is approximately £1.5m a year.

“The vast majority of people living in Darlington are responsible and care about the borough – these cases show that we will catch and punish those who persist in this anti-social behaviour.”

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors

Duncan Lewis criminal lawyers can advise companies or individuals at any stage of a charge involving environmental offences, including noise, air and water pollution, misuse of permitted land, waste carrier offences, failure to manage hazardous waste, fly tipping and fisheries offences.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales – and a criminal defence solicitor can advise on environmental offences at the start of an investigation and before charges are brought, as well as attending interviews with local authorities and the Environment Agency.

For expert legal advice on environmental offences, call Duncan Lewis crime solicitors on 0333 772 0409.