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Electronic tag for fly-tipper who dumped fridge freezer on Bradford street (24 May 2017)

Date: 24/05/2017
Duncan Lewis, Legal News Solicitors, Electronic tag for fly-tipper who dumped fridge freezer on Bradford street

Bradford Magistrates’ Court has ordered a man caught fly-tipping a fridge freezer on the street to be electronically tagged.

Aftab Wahid, 39, was caught on hidden CCTV cameras as he dumped the freezer from a people carrier in a fly-tipping hotspot in Barkerend in May 2016.

Wahid of Sticker Lane in Bradford pleased guilty to one offence of fly-tipping and to one of being in control of a vehicle which was used for fly-tipping.

He was given a Community Order consisting of a 12-week, 7pm-7am curfew monitored by an electronic tag – as well as being ordered to pay costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £85.

Prosecutor Aneeka Sarwar said that the cost of cleaning up fly-tipping nationally between 2015 and 2016 was £5 million – which was why the council took the offences very seriously.

She added that Wahid was interviewed after the registered keeper of the vehicle told council investigators that his business partner had been in charge of the people carrier when the offences took place.

During the interview, Wahid admitted that he had dumped the fridge freezer after picking it up from his sister’s garden.

He agreed to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice, but when he did not pay it, the council decided to take him to court.

Wahid’s legal representative said that there was a culture in Bradford where certain areas were “assigned” by the public for dumping waste – and that fly-tipping was a common problem.

“That culture needs to change,” he told the court – adding that Wahid had intended to take the fridge freezer to the recycling centre and dispose of it properly, but had not done so. Instead, when he was due to take children on the school run, he decided to dump the freezer to make some room in the vehicle.

Wahid did not pay the Fixed Penalty Notice because he lost his job and could not afford it, the court heard.

After sentencing, Bradford Council’s Assistant Director for Neighbourhoods and Customer Services, Ian Day, said:

“From the sentence imposed in this case, it is clear that the courts take these offences very seriously indeed.

“We are determined to prosecute as many fly-tippers as we can – and this case serves as a stark warning to those who prefer to blight our community, rather than dispose of rubbish by the proper means.”


Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Criminal Solicitors can advise companies and individuals at any stage of an environmental offence, including charges relating to polluting watercourses, fisheries offences, fly tipping, waste carrier offences, failing to manage hazardous waste, air pollution, noise pollution, or misuse of permitted land.

There are Duncan Lewis offices across England and Wales and in most major cities – and a Duncan Lewis criminal defence solicitor can advise at the start of an investigation by the Environment Agency or local authority and before charges are brought.

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

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