Man caught on camera committing illegal act on public street: 'Recorded the defendant attending the scene several times'

An Englishman pleaded guilty to three counts of "fly-tipping," or dumping waste improperly, at the Bradford Magistrates' Court last month, the Telegraph & Argus reported. 

Reece Dulay, 32, was caught on CCTV dumping multiple rounds of trash in a large waste receptacle on Law Street in Bradford, between July 7-18, 2024, and then setting the trash on fire. The trash included plastic waste, car parts, scrap metal, a bunch of old household items, and other trash that he had collected from people who paid him to remove the items. 

"[The CCTV] recorded the defendant attending the scene several times and unloading his vehicle of waste," said Waseem Raja, prosecutor for Bradford Council, per the Telegraph & Argus.

Posted by Reece Dulay on Saturday, November 9, 2024

This repeated behavior was a part of Dulay's unlicensed waste removal business, which he promoted on his Facebook page, boasting, "rapid removals," and "no job [too] big or small."

Dulay chose an inconspicuous corner of the city, an area already familiar with fly-tipping, to dispose of the waste so as to wipe his hands clean of the unwanted trash while profiting from it. 

On top of that, burning the trash, which includes products made with plastic and metals, adds a level of environmental disregard, as burning plastic releases harmful chemicals into the air that are toxic for people in the vicinity, and burning metals — flammable materials and an explosion hazard, according to Dust Safety Science — can result in a larger fire that puts the surrounding community at risk. 

"Fly-tipping is fly-tipping, if you see rubbish and you pile on more, you are contributing to it. If you dump waste somewhere you're automatically giving the green light to other people to fly tip there," said Raja, per the Telegraph & Argus. 

This case sends a warning to future offenders to think twice before illegally dumping. 

Individuals can also encourage environmental responsibility by engaging in climate discussions with family and friends to educate and inspire action. 

"Good to see the council actually doing something about it," one commenter wrote under the Telegraph & Argus article. 

"Clearly no concerns or for that matter deference to authority?" one user commented.

Should the government be allowed to restrict how much water we use? Definitely 💯 Only during major droughts 🏜️ No way 🙅 I'm not sure 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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