Hartlepool woman's near £2,000 bill after she is convicted at Teesside Magistrates' Court of fly tipping near her home

By Gavin Ledwith
Published 6th Oct 2022, 07:57 BST
Updated 6th Oct 2022, 08:02 BST
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A woman has been ordered to pay almost £2,000 in fines, compensation and costs after being convicted of fly tipping.

Bethany Amber Willets, 29, of Baden Street, Hartlepool, was found guilty in her absence by Teesside magistrates.

The court heard that an enforcement officer from Hartlepool Borough Council came across a large pile of waste - including flooring, cushions from a chair and other items - in the backstreet outside her home and when it was checked a number of letters referring to her were found.

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Despite claiming that she had intended to book the council’s waste removal service, investigations revealed that she had not done so.

A woman has been convicted in court after waste was dumped in the back lane behind her home.A woman has been convicted in court after waste was dumped in the back lane behind her home.
A woman has been convicted in court after waste was dumped in the back lane behind her home.

She was issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice before court proceedings were launched when she failed to pay.

Ian Harrison who chairs the authority’s multi-agency Fly-Tipping Working Group, said: “I am pleased that the magistrates recognised the seriousness of the offence and imposed a significant financial penalty.

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"Fly-tipping is a scourge on our communities and costs the council huge sums to clean up.

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The Hartlepool case was dealt with at Teesside Magistrates' Court, in Middlesbrough. Picture by FRANK REID.The Hartlepool case was dealt with at Teesside Magistrates' Court, in Middlesbrough. Picture by FRANK REID.
The Hartlepool case was dealt with at Teesside Magistrates' Court, in Middlesbrough. Picture by FRANK REID.

“There are absolutely no excuses for fly tipping and we will not hesitate to prosecute those responsible where we are able to gather the necessary evidence.”

Anyone with information about fly tipping can call the council’s fly tip off hotline on (01429) 523333 or report it at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/fly-tipping

Residents are urged to always dispose of their rubbish responsibly.

The council’s household waste recycling centre, in Burn Road, and its waste removal service, formerly known as the bulky household waste service, operate five days a week and have bookings readily available.

Book at www.hartlepool.gov.uk/hwrcbookings or www.hartlepool.gov.uk/wasteremoval.

Alternatively, call (01429) 523333.