A man who illegally dumped over 60 tonnes of rubbish in a Croydon yard should clear waste as part of his sentence, a judge has said.
Croydon Council took Lance Anthony Morris to court after he had piled tyres, timber and other waste plus left a caravan at the site in Waddon over a three-year period up to October 2015.
After a jury at Croydon Crown Court found Mr Morris guilty on Friday of three environmental offences, her honour Judge Elizabeth Smaller ordered the 47-year-old to do 120 hours’ unpaid community service, which she suggested could involve clearing up waste. Mr Morris, of Beulah Road in Thornton Heath, was also ordered to pay a £50 fine and a £60 victim surcharge.
The case is Croydon Council’s 151st successful prosecution under its Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign, which combines enforcement through fixed penalty notices and court cases with getting locals to volunteer on litter clear-ups and encouraging people to recycle more.
Mr Morris, who had argued that the waste was building material that could be reused, was found guilty of allowing the waste to be dumped at the site in Martin Crescent without an environmental permit, failing to comply with an enforcement notice and failing to comply with a section 59 notice under the 1990 Environmental Protection Act.
“This illegal waste mountain blighted the local environment for years, so maybe Mr Morris will learn a thing or two from having to clear up fly-tips as part of his sentence.
“This case underlines how our officers will continue to prosecute those who flout the law, and I hope it will make other potential fly-tippers think twice.”
Councillor Stuart Collins, deputy leader – Clean Green Croydon
