Local fly-tippers ordered to pay more than £2,200 as council continues crack down

Three fly-tippers have been told to pay more than £2,200 after being successfully prosecuted by Barking and Dagenham Council as part of its continuous battle to tackle fly-tipping. 

The prosecutions followed separate incidents in Whiting Avenue, Barking, Hedgemans Road, Dagenham, and Gale Street/Rugby Road, Dagenham, where waste was illegally dumped on public land and highways. Council officers identified those responsible through CCTV footage, resident reports and enforcement investigations. 

Hayley Ruben, of Whiting Avenue, Barking, admitted leaving bags of garden waste on the highway after carrying out gardening work. After failing to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice, she was prosecuted and ordered to pay a £200 fine, £80 victim surcharge and £600 costs, totalling £880. 

Maria Ann Darby, of Hedgemans Road, Dagenham, was caught on CCTV dumping mattresses, bed frames, a headboard, shelving unit and refuse sacks on a grassed area next to her property. After failing to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice, she pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay a £200 fine, £80 victim surcharge and £700 costs, totalling £980. 

Joceline Tatiana Barbosa Pinto, of Ivyhouse Road, Dagenham, was identified through council CCTV after waste was emptied from wheelie bins onto the highway near the junction of Gale Street and Rugby Road. After failing to pay a Fixed Penalty Notice, she was prosecuted and ordered to pay a £200 fine, £80 victim surcharge and £425 costs, totalling £705. 

Councillor Syed Ghani, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: "These prosecutions send a clear message that fly-tipping will not be tolerated in Barking and Dagenham. We will continue to investigate reports, use CCTV and enforcement powers, and take action against those who choose to dump waste illegally.

"There are plenty of ways to dispose of waste responsibly, including free bulky waste collections and taking your rubbish to the tip for free, so there is simply no excuse to fly-tip.”

The prosecutions support the council's Cleaner BD campaign, which encourages residents to take pride in where they live and dispose of waste responsibly.