31 Jan Harlow Council prosecute residents for dumping rubbish
Five people have been successfully prosecuted by Harlow Council for dumping rubbish in Harlow.
The cases, which both relate to offences committed between July and September 2016, were heard at Chelmsford Magistrates Court on 19 January 2017 and led to fines totalling £1,320 including court costs. All cases were brought to court under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (which covers non-payment of fixed penalty notices).
Princess Akonedo, of Lower Meadow, was summonsed for non-payment of a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) issued by Officers who were investigating a report of dumped rubbish near her home. Mrs. Akonedo pleaded guilty by post prior to the hearing, and was fined £80 and ordered to pay court costs of £50 as well as a £30 victim surcharge.
Mihai Vasilescu, of Fairways in Waltham Abbey, was issued with an FPN after the Council received a report of household waste being dumped in the Latton Bush Centre area. He was subsequently issued with an FPN. At the hearing he did not attend and was found guilty. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay court costs of £180, as well as a £30 victim surcharge.
Michal Swierczynski, of Longbanks, was issued with an FPN after the Council received a report of household waste being dumped in the Longbanks area. He was issued with an FPN. Following non-payment of the FPN he was summonsed to Court and found guilty in his absence. He was fined £80 and ordered to pay court costs of £180, as well as a £30 victim surcharge.
Florin Odogeriu, of Canons Brook, was issued with an FPN after the Council received a report of various items being dumped on a footpath outside his property. He was subsequently issued with an FPN. Following non-payment of the FPN, he was summonsed to Court, found guilty in his absence and issued with a fine of £80. He was also ordered to pay court costs of £180, as well as a £30 victim surcharge.
Rebecca Mitchell, of The Stow, was issued with an FPN after the Council received a report of various items being left in a communal stairwell. Mrs. Mitchell was subsequently issued with an FPN. Following non-payment of the FPN she was summonsed to Court. She was found guilty in her absence and fined £80 and ordered to pay court costs of £180, as well as a £30 victim surcharge.
Commenting on the prosecutions, Councillor Emma Toal, Portfolio Holder for Youth & Community, said:
“We continue to take the issue of dumped rubbish and littering in Harlow seriously; it’s a blight across the town and we are doing everything we can to hold those responsible to account.
“The vast majority of our residents are responsible with their rubbish and do dispose of it in the right way; for the few who choose not to do so, we will always take action when responding to reports against anyone who dumps rubbish in our town.
It’s damaging to the environment, antisocial, potentially dangerous and contributes to the annual cost of nearly £2m that the Council spends in cleaning up rubbish from the town’s streets and housing estates.
“As always I thank the Council’s Community Safety and Legal Teams for their work in achieving these successful prosecutions and hope that this sends the right message to those who dump rubbish and litter in our town.”
