East Lancashire people who have received massive fly-tipping fines

As a result, these people and businesses have received whopping fines for fly-tipping in Lancashire in the past month.

One business even received the largest total fine on the council’s record, and were ordered to pay more than £4000.

Here are five people and businesses in East Lancashire who were fined for fly-tipping in September:

Landlord AK Estates (NW) Ltd, Johnston Street, Blackburn

Landlord AK Estates fly-tipped in Blackburn

Landlord AK estates received the largest total fine on record for a waste prosecution by Blackburn with Darwen Council. 

They were prosecuted for disposing of controlled waste in the rear alley of Infirmary Street and Walsh Street in January 2020 following the refurbishment of one of their properties. 

They pleaded not guilty to the offence, but were found guilty in their absence at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 28 September 2021. 

They were fined £2700, plus £1200 costs and £750 compensation.

Loobie Smith, Moorgate Street, Blackburn

Mrs Smith was prosecuted for failing to transfer her household waste to an authorised person, after CCTV footage captured a person dumping waste on land at Moorgate Street, Blackburn in March 2021. 

She appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 21 September 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charges. 

She was fined £200, plus £40 costs and £34 victim surcharge.

Konrad Halstead, Lower Darwen

Waste dumped off Store Street, Lower Darwen

Mr Halstead was prosecuted for depositing controlled waste on land off Store Street, Lower Darwen in March 2021 without the necessary waste permits. 

He appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 14 September 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charges.  He was fined £120, plus £100 costs and £34 surcharge.

Gerald Bell, Pendle Street, Blackburn

Gerard Bell was fined £434 for fly-tipping

Gerald Bell was prosecuted for depositing controlled waste from a vehicle on land at Haslingden Road, Blackburn in February 2020 without the necessary waste permits. 

He appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 3 September 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charges. 

He was fined £200, plus £200 costs and £34 victim surcharge.

Jahanghir Hussain, Scotland Road, Nelson

Another recent prosecution is of Jahanghir Hussain who dumped several black bags of waste from his business on Scotland Road in Nelson in front of another address on the same road.

Mr Hussain attended a meeting with one of Pendle Council’s Environmental Crime Officers.

He was asked to provide evidence that he had arrangements in place to safely dispose of his commercial waste but he failed to do this. He did not pay the fixed penalty notice for £300 which Pendle Council issued to him.

In court, Jahanghir Hussain changed his plea to guilty at the last minute.

On 9 September, he was fined a total of £634.

Councillor Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said: “Once again we’re sending out a clear message to residents in Blackburn with Darwen that waste crimes like these will not be tolerated. 

“Our teams are working hard to catch waste crime culprits and prosecute them in court.  If you witness a waste crime you can report it anonymously on our website for our Environmental Crime team to investigate. 

David Walker, Environmental Services Manager for Pendle Council, said: “Businesses and individuals have a legal Duty of Care to dispose of their waste properly.”

David warned: “Don’t get caught out if you are doing some DIY, take care how you get rid of any bulky waste and don’t risk it being fly-tipped!

“When a plumber, builder or man with a van offers to take your old bathroom suite or kitchen units away for a small charge, they may be dumping your waste illegally,” he explained.

“If someone illegally dumps waste they have collected from your house then you could be prosecuted and fined.

“Please remember we all have a Duty of Care to be responsible for our waste.

“Make sure the person taking away your waste is registered with the Environment Agency by checking the register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers on their website.

“And always get a receipt or waste transfer note,” he said.

Your local district council has responsibility for acting on reports of fly-tipping. This includes both the removal of fly-tipped waste and the prosecution of those responsible.

Find your district council at the following website: https://www.lancashire.gov.uk/district-council/

A full list of recycling centres in the county can be found on the Lancashire County Council website.