Garden waste fly-tip is a costly mistake

A man has been ordered to pay more than £1,400 after garden waste was found dumped near Great Haseley in South Oxfordshire.

Karl Horwood, 60, of Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 16 June when he admitted failing in his duty of care for waste disposal. 

Mr Horwood had been arrested a week earlier on suspicion of breaching the Environment Act 1990 after he had failed to respond to requests from South Oxfordshire District Council Environmental Enforcement Officers for assistance with their enquiries about the incident.

Magistrates heard how, in January 2022, Mr Horwood had carried out work at a property in Great Haseley and had been paid £150 to remove four bulk bags full of garden waste. However, he failed to ensure that the waste was disposed of properly and it was then found dumped on the side of the road along the A329.

Mr Horwood claimed that he didn’t have enough space in his vehicle to take the waste away himself and so had paid a scrap metal collector to do it for him.  However, he didn’t know who the person was and failed to provide any evidence of this arrangement.

Following his guilty plea, Mr Horwood was fined £200. He was also ordered to pay full prosecution costs of £1,247 and a £34 victim surcharge.

Cllr Sue Cooper, Cabinet Member for Environment at South Oxfordshire District Council, said: “If you are producing or transporting controlled waste, you must ensure it is disposed of legally and that you keep a record of what the waste is and where it’s going”. 

“There is absolutely no excuse for dumping rubbish.  Doing so puts a real blight on our local area and could have a significant impact on the environment, including wildlife.” 

If you see a fly-tip or suspect that someone is involved in fly-tipping, please report it by visiting southoxon.gov.uk/flytipping or call 03000 610610.