Matthew Greaves fined for fly-tipping at Hollingworth Lake

The waste dumped in Hollingworth Lake Visitor Park in February 2014

Matthew Greaves must pay more than £1,000 after being prosecuted in connection with rubbish dumped at Hollingworth Lake Visitor Centre car park.

Greaves, 32, pleaded guilty to two counts of failing to prevent a breach of section 33 and transporting waste without a permit at a hearing at Bury and Rochdale Magistrates’ Court on 19 May.

The prosecution, brought by Rochdale Council, came after a large amount of waste was dumped at the Visitor Centre car park in February 2014.

Council staff found evidence in the waste that led them to an address in Smallbridge. Residents at that address confirmed that Mr Greaves had helped them move house and remove the waste found dumped at Hollingworth Lake.

Greaves, of Parkway, Rochdale, denied removing or fly-tipping the waste himself, but told the court he had contracted the job out to an unnamed individual and that he bore responsibility for the fly-tipping.

He also pleaded guilty to an offence under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 as he is not a registered waste carrier.

He was fined £265 for two offences of failing to prevent a breach of section 33 and transporting waste and ordered to pay £500 towards prosecution costs. A £26 victim surcharge was also imposed.

Councillor Jacqui Beswick, Rochdale Council Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, said: “Fly-tipping like this costs the council and taxpayers a huge amount of money to deal with. To leave rubbish like this anywhere is horrendous but to do it at a beauty spot that is so precious to our residents, especially families and young children, was appalling.”