Warning to waste crime culprits after residents and landlord prosecuted

Three residents and a landlord in Blackburn with Darwen have been fined and prosecuted after failing to dispose of their waste properly.

Landlord AK Estates (NW) Ltd of Johnston Street, Blackburn, received the largest total fine on record for a waste prosecution by Blackburn with Darwen Council.  They were prosecuted for disposing of controlled waste in the rear alley of Infirmary Street and Walsh Street in January 2020 following the refurbishment of one of their properties.  They pleaded not guilty to the offence, but were found guilty in their absence at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 28 September 2021.  They were fined £2700, plus £1200 costs and £750 compensation.

Loobie Smith, 20, of Moorgate Street, Blackburn was prosecuted for failing to transfer her household waste to an authorised person, after CCTV footage captured a person dumping waste on land at Moorgate Street, Blackburn in March 2021.  She appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 21 September 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charges.  She was fined £200, plus £40 costs and £34 victim surcharge.

Konrad Halstead, 25, was prosecuted for depositing controlled waste on land off Store Street, Lower Darwen in March 2021 without the necessary waste permits.  He appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 14 September 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charges.  He was fined £120, plus £100 costs and £34 surcharge.

Gerald Bell, 42, of Pendle Street, Blackburn was prosecuted for depositing controlled waste from a vehicle on land at Haslingden Road, Blackburn in February 2020 without the necessary waste permits.  He appeared at Blackburn Magistrates Court on 3 September 2021 and pleaded guilty to the charges.  He was fined £200, plus £200 costs and £34 victim surcharge.

Councillor Jim Smith, Executive Member for Environment at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, said:

Once again we’re sending out a clear message to residents in Blackburn with Darwen that waste crimes like these will not be tolerated.  Our teams are working hard to catch waste crime culprits and prosecute them in court.  If you witness a waste crime you can report it anonymously on our website for our Environmental Crime team to investigate.  Not only do incidents like these cost a lot of money to clean up, they create eyesores in our communities and can damage the environment too.  The vast majority of our residents dispose of their waste correctly and take pride in where they live.  It’s unfair that a minority of people think they can dump rubbish irresponsibly and leave others to clean up their mess.

You can help us to catch waste crime culprits by reporting any offences on the Council website: www.blackburn.gov.uk/fly-tipping.

If you have waste to dispose of there’s no reason to dump it, you can take it to one of our two Household Waste Recycling Centres, open over a seven day period in Blackburn and Darwen.

Or, if you’re struggling to remove bulky waste yourself, then book a collection via the Council’s waste collection service – with prices starting from just £7.50.

If you have a build-up of rubbish at your property and need some help and advice please contact our Cleansing Team: email cleansing@blackburn.gov.uk or call 01254 585585.