Twelve 'selfish' residents prosecuted for blighting our Borough

Date published: 13 December 2018


A number of irresponsible residents who thought they could dump their waste where they want, or leave others to clean up for them, have been successfully prosecuted.

On December 5, the following cases were heard at Tameside Magistrates’ Court.

In July this year Oldham Council Environmental Health officers visited land off Taylor Street and found black bags, household waste, builders’ waste and garden waste.

The rubbish was traced to Michael Serridge, aged 55, of Ripponden Road, and he pleaded guilty to fly-tipping in court.

He was fined £150 with £556 costs and a £30 victim surcharge

Bethany Hayes (24) of Grange Street, Failsworth, didn’t attend court and was found guilty in her absence of littering and fined £220 with £275 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

She’d previously failed to pay a fixed penalty notice (FPN) after her waste was found dumped in the alley behind her house in July.

Errol Zajac-Jones (28), of Shaw Road, pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after waste (above) he had paid someone to move was found dumped on Crime Lane, Failsworth, in March.

He failed to check if the person collecting the waste was licenced to do so and had no details of the person.

On November 14, magistrates imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £700 costs.

Six days earlier Kayleigh Dowd (28), of Forrest Street, pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after her waste was found dumped behind her property in March.

She was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The following cases were all heard on November 1.

Rehana Begum pleaded guilty by post to littering.

The 55-year-old, of Cranberry Street, was issued with an FPN, which she failed to pay, after her waste was found dumped in the alley way behind her home.

She was fined £40 with £406 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Kellie Dunleay (42), of Lucerne Close, Chadderton, was issued with an FPN after failing to comply with a notice served on her to tidy up rubbish in her back yard.

She failed to pay the FPN and failed to attend court.

She was found guilty in her absence and fined £660 with £650 costs and a £66 victim surcharge.

Another resident who didn’t attend court after being issued with an FPN was Michelle Royston.

The 36-year-old, of Ester Street, was issued with the FPN after her waste (above) was found dumped in the alley behind her property.

She was found guilty in her absence and fined £220 with £406 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Waste found dumped in Pitt Street was traced to Rashid Hussain – who lives on the same street.

The 28-year-old failed to pay the FPN issued to him and was fined £220 with £431 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Joanne Hall (43), of Mersey Road North, was issued with an FPN after her waste was found dumped in the alley.

She failed to pay the FPN and failed to attend court.

She was found guilty in her absence and fined £220 costs with £406 fine plus a £30 victim surcharge

Another resident who thought it was ok to leave his waste in an alleyway behind his house (below) was Corneliu Geblescu (46), of Salford Street.

He failed to pay and FPN and attend court.

He was fined £220 with £406 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Waste found dumped in a car park on Manchester Street was traced to Mohammed Kamran (34), of Long Lane, Chadderton.

He pleaded guilty to fly tipping in court and was fined £290 with £681 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Aftab Sharif, of Glenfield Close, pleaded guilty to fly tipping after his waste was found dumped on a bridle path off Clarksfield Road.

He was fined £184 with £431 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Deputy Leader of Oldham Council and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “It’s shameful that residents think they can get away with leaving rubbish on our streets or not clearing up after themselves properly

“Last year we picked up more than 1,500 tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish – and unfortunately its council taxpayers’ who picked up the bill.

"It costs £2,500 a day when you take into account staff wages, running a van and waste disposal fees.

“Annually that is money that could be used to fill 40,000 potholes or support 2,500 elderly people so they can live independently at home.

“It’s not the council dumping the rubbish and we don’t have the resources or the money to drive around our borough picking up waste that people have dumped.

 “Everyone needs to do their bit.

"Thankfully, the vast majority of you don’t fly-tip but for this problem to go away we need the selfish few to stop.”

Your waste is your responsibility. Put it in your bin.

If you don’t have enough room and need help with recycling, contact Waste Management on 0161 770 6644.

You can take excess waste to Arkwright Street Waste and Recycling Centre, Oldham OL9 9LZ, free of charge.

If you pay someone to take your waste ask to see their waste carriers licence, this is a card issued by the Environment Agency and get them to give you a receipt for the waste taken and their name and contact details.

If you are not sure do not pass your waste on because if it found dumped, you will face legal action.


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