A local Dagenham company has been found guilty in court and ordered to pay thousands of pounds in fines and costs after it was caught on a Barking and Dagenham Council CCTV dumping a truck load of waste.
On the 18 May 2023, the council CCTV camera caught the vehicle illegally dump its waste into the service road at Green Lane, Dagenham. Through a DVLA check, it was quickly discovered that the vehicle belonged to Rapid Response Removals Ltd.
The company based on Ross Avenue, Dagenham and the vehicle in question had previously been prosecuted at court for fly-tipping in Wantz Road, Dagenham.
While investigations continued, the council’s Environmental Enforcement officers ran an operation in collaboration with the Police on the A13 on 28 June 2023. During the operation they spotted and brought in the vehicle caught fly-tipping in Green Lane and did an on-street interview with the driver.
The driver was identified as Mr Thleep Srikantha, the Director of Rapid Response Removals Ltd who was then questioned under caution.
Officers made Mr Srikantha aware that he would be invited for a taped interview under caution regarding the fly-tipping and that his vehicle was being confiscated.
Mr Srikantha attended an interview on 19 July 2023 where he admitted to the fly-tipping offence on Green Lane. As a result, he was issued with a formal Notice in accordance with s.34 Environmental Protection Act 1990 which required him to produce copies of his Waste Transfer Notes; and a letter informing him that the council is preparing legal papers for him and Rapid Response Removals to be tried in court for the offences of fly-tipping and failing to comply with his duty of care.
On 26 March 2024, Mr Srikantha of Rapid Response Removals Ltd pleaded guilty at Barkingside Magistrates Court to both offences and was ordered to pay a fine of £5,000, costs to Barking and Dagenham Council of £1,017 and a Victim Surcharge of £2,000, totalling £8,017.
Mr Srikantha attempted to get the fine reduced, but due to his previous conviction the judge took a dim view and ordered him to pay back £500 a month.
Gary Jones, Operational Director, Enforcement, Regulatory and Community Safety, said: “This is a fantastic result and I’m really pleased that the judge had the same opinion on this as us, issuing a huge fine. It’s obscene that Mr Srikantha thought it would be okay to run a company that dumps other people’s rubbish around the borough.
“We know residents are concerned about fly-tipping and this prosecution highlights just some of the work of our enforcement teams carry out to stamp it out. I hope this sends a stern warning to other people, that if you fly-tip in Barking and Dagenham, we will take enforcement action out on you.”