Three more prosecuted for littering offences

Failure to pay a £75 fine for littering has left three offenders with a bill for £1,666 each.

Hannah Entwistle, Bryn Real and Maria Stewart were originally given fixed penalty notices for littering offences that had been committed in September/October 2021 in the streets where they lived: respectively Milltown Street, Radcliffe; Myrtle Street, Bury; and Mitchell Street, Bury.

But, as they did not pay the fines, they were prosecuted. At Manchester Magistrates Court on Friday (29 July), each offender was fined £1,173 plus a victim surcharge of £117 and costs of £376. The maximum fine for littering is £2,500.

A further three offenders failed to attend court for fly-tipping offences and a warrant has been issued by the courts. Fly-tipping carries a maximum fine of £50,000 in the magistrates’ courts.

Since two new enforcement officers joined the council last year, 39 fixed penalty notices have been issued for fly-tipping, plus 27 for littering and 2 to commercial companies for not exercising their duty of care. A further four cases are awaiting trial.

Councillor Alan Quinn, cabinet member for the environment, climate change and operations, said: “It doesn’t matter whether it’s a single refuse bag or a huge pile of rubbish on our streets and green spaces - fly-tipping and littering are illegal, and a blight on our borough. They also cost money to clear up, which council taxpayers are rightly angry about.

“We will continue to take tough action against those responsible, and we remind everyone that fly-tipping and littering are criminal offences punishable by a fine or prosecution. The message ought to be clear by now that such environmental offences will not be tolerated in Bury.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 3 August 2022.