What a load of crepe! Dunstable firm fined for dumping waste

Tyrone Bird pleaded guilty at Luton Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 3 July on two counts of breaching section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. He ordered to pay a fine of £733 for each offence, pay costs of £1,283 and a victim surcharge of £73.

Central Bedfordshire Council launched an investigation in August 2017, after an ongoing waste problem relating to the business was reported. Waste was being placed outside the shop in the evening, for collection the next day but then wasn’t collected and waste sacks started to pile up, with the bags bursting open and the contents escaping.

Bird was invited to a number of PACE interviews which he didn’t attend.

Whilst attempting to arrange another interview, council officers attended the property on two further occasions to examine additional waste left at the rear of the premises.

Bird was sent a second Section 108 questionnaire requiring him to attend a PACE interview in December which he attended stating he had a contract with Biffa.

But it was found that contract had been suspended because of an overdue payment.

Councillor Budge Wells, Deputy Executive Member for Community Services at CBC, said: “If your rubbish is found to have been fly-tipped and you have not made appropriate arrangements for the legal disposal of that waste, we will take further action and you could be prosecuted.