Rochdale men admit fly-tipping

Two men filmed by Rochdale Council fly-tipping tonnes of waste near Rochdale Town Centre, were ordered to pay a combined sum of more than £7,000 by Rochdale Magistrates Court.

Carl Donohue, trading as Forward Recycling, of Worsley Place, Rochdale, and Mohammed Ismail, trading as New Age Builders, of Marigold Street, Rochdale both pleaded guilty to a total of nine environmental offences.

The council received an anonymous call to report that building waste was being dumped on land off Manchester Old Road in August 2007.

Surveillance was then undertaken by the council and the video evidence showed Donohue depositing skip loads of waste on the land on three occasions in August and September 2007. The video evidence also showed Ismail disposing similar waste during the same period.

The subsequent investigation revealed that the land belonged to Ismail and that he employed Donohue to remove building waste from properties that Ismail’s firm was renovating.

Donohue pleaded guilty to three offences contrary to the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was fined a total of £1,500, with £1,079.39 costs and a victim surcharge of £15. Ismail pleaded guilty to six offences contrary to the same Act and was fined a total of £3,000 with £1406.61 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

Commenting on the convictions, Councillor Wera Hobhouse, cabinet member for environment and sustainability, said: “These convictions send out a clear message to individuals and businesses who think they can fly-tip their waste where they choose with no thought for the local environment. Waste can only be disposed of at licensed waste management sites or through licensed waste disposal firms.”