Northampton man fined more than £2,000 for fly-tipping a pile of bin bags

A man who fly-tipped a pile of bin bags in Northampton has been fined more than £2,000.

Mario Ionita of Woolmonger Street was found guilty – in his absence – at Wellingborough Magistrates Court on August 1 after he was served with a fixed penalty notice of £150, which he failed to pay.

The dumped bags of waste were found in Kingswell Street by West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) officers as they carried out a routine patrol in the area in December 2022. They came across a pile of white and black refuse sacks dumped on the side of the street. An investigation found the bags belonged Ionita.

Magistrates ordered Ionita to pay a fine of £1,760, costs of £971.48 and a victim surcharge of £704.

Councillor David Smith, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Engagement, and Regulatory Services at WNC, said: “We will not hesitate to take action against those who think they can carelessly discard of their waste on our streets, causing a negative impact on our environment and our communities.

"There is simply no excuse for fly tipping, and it is fantastic to see that our officers have been able to successfully prosecute the offender.”

WNC reported earlier this year that it deals with about 17,000 incidents a year at a cost of more than £750,000.

Fly-tipping can be reported on the WNC website, along with details of any information which can help to pinpoint the offenders. To find out more visit the council’s cleaner communities page.