A County Durham man has been fined over £1,200 (around $1,650) after dumping household waste near a local electricity substation, as reported by The Northern Echo.
Gary Hancock, 21, of Brackenridge, Shotton Colliery, was caught after neighborhood wardens discovered rubbish abandoned along Shotton Lane. While searching the site, they found a letter that linked the dumped materials back to Hancock.
CCTV footage later confirmed what the letter suggested. The camera caught Hancock red-handed and captured the vehicle he used.
A man has been ordered to pay more than £1,000 after CCTV caught him dumping rubbish along a County Durham lane. Gary...
Posted by Durham County Council on Friday, May 23, 2025
The Durham County Council issued a formal notice and scheduled an interview, but Hancock did not attend.
Prosecutors brought the case to Peterlee Magistrates' Court, where Hancock pleaded guilty to dumping household waste without an environmental permit.
He was fined £432 and ordered to pay £678 in costs plus a £173 victim surcharge, bringing the total to £1,283.
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Ian Hoult, Durham County Council's head of environment, said, "Dumping waste has a detrimental effect on the environment, as well as the wellbeing of surrounding communities."
He also reminded residents of their duty to dispose of waste safely and legally.
"If it's your waste, it is your responsibility," Hoult said. "As proven, we will not hesitate to take action against those who fail to take this responsibility seriously."
He pointed to the county's many Household Waste Recycling Centres as accessible alternatives.
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Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 While enforcement is a crucial part of solving the problem, maintaining clean and safe communities depends on the public, including support for policies that prioritize environmental responsibility.
Illegally dumping waste may seem like a minor issue, but it erodes shared resources and undermines public trust. Continued pressure on local leaders can help ensure that people like Hancock don't just get fined; they get outnumbered. When residents back the rules, report violations, and demand climate-forward policies, change scales up fast.
As for residents, few seemed to have much sympathy for Hancock, as many took to Facebook to share their thoughts on the situation.
One commenter said, "If he works, his wages should be garnished until all costs are recovered."
However, many felt the consequences should have been more dire. One person said: "This might have been the only one out of hundreds he's been caught for! Therefore still makes it profitable, especially if he's paying £10 a month! Confiscate [their] vehicle."
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