A pair of illegal waste dumpers have been hit with court fines after chucking commercial refuse in residential bins.
Hartlepool duo Ian Rumble and Carl Timlin were identified thanks to CCTV footage which caught them in the act.
Middlesbrough Council’s Environmental Neighbourhood Safety Team was called in following a report of an incident on September 9 last year in an alley behind Tennyson Street off Linthorpe Road.
CCTV from the area showed two men dumping up to 30 black bags of commercial rubbish into communal residential refuse bins, while several wooden and plastic pallets were left on the pavement.
The van involved in the incident was identified and traced to Ian Rumble, the owner of Teesside Recycling Services, who claimed to have been collecting waste from nearby business with co-worker Carl Timlin.
The two men subsequently pleaded guilty to offences under environmental legislation, and were fined when they appeared before Teesside Magistrates this week.
Rumble, 62, of Bedford Street, Hartlepool, was fined £475 with a £190 surcharge and ordered pay £250 costs, making a total of £915.
Timlin, 34, of Romanby Close, Hartlepool, was fined £120 with a £48 surcharge and ordered to pay £250 costs, totalling £418.
Welcoming the fines, Councillor Ian Blades, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive member for Neighbourhoods, said: “There’s no excuse for the illegal and irresponsible dumping of waste at the best of times, but dumping commercial waste in residential bins is simply unforgivable.
“This pair thought they could take a short-cut and save themselves the expense of doing the job properly and legally.
“Instead they’ve found themselves out of pocket and with a criminal record, which I hope will act as a deterrent to anyone else tempted to follow their example.
“Offences like these can blight whole neighbourhoods and are an insult to law-abiding residents, and we will be relentless in our pursuit of those responsible.”
• Full details of how to dispose of household waste legally can be found on the Middlesbrough Council website: Household waste (rubbish, recycling, green waste) | Middlesbrough Council
Residents can also book online to dispose of large items at the Household Waste and Recycling Centre at Haverton Hill.
There is no charge for residents but fees apply for businesses.
Anyone with information on fly-tipping can send details to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the Contact Centre on 01642 726001.
Fly-tipping, anti-social behaviour and many other offences can also be reported online at www.middlesbrough.gov.uk/report
