Harwich: Dovercourt men warned and fined for fly-tipping

Two Dovercourt men have been issued with formal police warnings and fined after they dumped waste in a remote rural lane near Harwich.

Rural engagement officers responded to several reports of fly-tipped rubbish in the same location earlier this year.

Following some detective work with Tendring District Council staff, they identified two men, aged 58 and 40, as being responsible.

The 58-year-old was found to have visited the location 50 times between 1 February and 15 April, dumping a foam mattress, a cuddly toy and clothing, partly on private land and partly on land owned by Essex Highways.

In unrelated activity, the 40-year-old had dumped soil and cardboard boxes in the same location on several occasions. He was also found to be advertising on Facebook as a waste collector, despite not holding a valid waste carrier’s licence.

Now, both men have been issued with community protection warnings which run for two years. CPWs tell people they must stop certain behaviour or risk further action.

Rural engagement officer PC James Nickless says the team works closely with farmers, landowners and councils to deter fly‑tipping and protect our rural environment.

“Fly‑tipping causes real harm in our rural communities. Dumped waste often contains hazardous materials that have no place in the countryside.
“And it can have devastating consequences, causing serious injuries to people, horses, livestock and wildlife. Just last month a tipper lorry driver was jailed for 16 months after a crash in which a cyclist suffered a severe head injury.
“An investigation by officers from our Serious Collision Investigation Unit found that a nail protruding from asbestos he dumped in a county lane, which punctured the cyclist’s tyre, was a major contributing factor.
“Fly-tipped waste also blights rural roads, farmland and beauty spots valued by local residents and visitors.”

The community protection warnings (CPWs) issued to the two Dovercourt men, warn them that their conduct is ‘unreasonable’, ‘persistent’ and ‘having a detrimental effect on the quality of life of those in the locality’.

Both men are warned that for two years they are not

• to go to the location for any reason other than to notify someone of a life-threatening emergency
• to dump any waste or other items on public or private land.

The 40-year-old is also ordered to ensure that if he continues to carry and dispose of waste, he obtains a waste carrier’s licence.

James explains:

“If a CPW is ignored, the next step is a community protection notice which, if breached, can lead to fines or criminal prosecution. This is why we support Essex County Council’s SCRAP fly-tipping campaign and urge people who spot dumped waste to report it to their local council.”

Tendring District Council also issued the two men with £400 fines for their actions.

Councillor Adrian Smith, Tendring District Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment, says the authority will not tolerate fly-tipping.

“Fly-tipping is an utter disregard for our communities and the environment, and we will take action against those responsible.
“This was not a one-off incident in the area – it involved blatant fly-tipping over a period of time. Cases like this show exactly why we work closely with our police partners to track down offenders and hold them accountable.
“Fly-tipping is not a victimless crime. Clearing it up costs taxpayers’ money that should be spent on vital local services, and it is completely unacceptable that residents are left to pick up that bill.
“We are committed to taking a firm stance – where evidence is found, we will issue fines and will not hesitate to escalate enforcement action if offenders continue to ignore the law.
“I also want residents to understand their responsibilities when disposing of waste. If your waste is found as part of a fly-tip, you could face enforcement action and fines – even if you did not dump it yourself.
“Residents may have acted in good faith or might think they’re saving a few pounds by using an unlicensed carrier, but it can end up costing them far more – with a £400 fixed penalty notice or fines running into thousands of pounds.
“You are liable for your waste and where it ends up. The only way to protect yourself is to use a properly licensed waste carrier and make sure you receive a receipt that includes their waste carrier licence number.
“We will continue to protect our district, and we urge anyone who witnesses fly-tipping to report it so we can take swift action.”