Jeremy Boyes, a 55-year-old resident from Penrhiwceiber in Rhondda, has been handed a community order and fined over £1,000 after being caught fly-tipping in a local beauty spot. The incidents occurred less than half a mile from his home, along the road known locally as the "JamPot," which links Llanwonno Road, Perthcelyn, and Mill Road, Ynysybwl.
The fly-tipping included a wide array of items, among them several tonne builders' sacks containing car tyres, parts from tumble dryers, bicycle tyres, a motorbike tyre, cardboard boxes, fridge freezer drawers, a garden lounger cushion, window blinds, and even a purple rug.
In response to the growing issue, the Rhondda Cynon Taf (RCT) council’s enforcement team deployed a covert trail camera to gather evidence. The footage captured Boyes unloading various types of waste, including white plastic guttering, broken furniture from cupboards, and a blue wooden pallet.
Approximately a month later, investigators discovered more waste at the site, particularly items that had been burned, such as plastic parts from tumble dryers or washing machines, additional tyres, and timber. Once again, the video evidence linked the same vehicle and its driver to the crime. In a somewhat compromising moment captured on camera, Boyes was seen exiting the vehicle before urinating against it. He looked around before unloading more waste, dragging a builder's tonne sack from the rear of the van, and then preparing to leave while a fire burned nearby.
Boyes appeared at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court, where he pleaded guilty to two counts of fly-tipping under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The magistrate sentenced him to a 12-month Community Order, which includes 80 hours of unpaid work, and ordered him to pay a total of £1,117.02, comprising costs of £1,003.02 and a victim surcharge of £114.
A spokesperson for RCT council commented on the case, stating, "Fly-tipping will not be tolerated, ever. There is never an excuse to blight our towns, streets and villages with waste, and we will find those responsible and hold them to account." They further highlighted that removing fly-tipping incurs substantial costs, which could otherwise be allocated to essential front-line services, particularly as budgets face ongoing pressures. The spokesperson reaffirmed the council's commitment to using every available power to hold offenders accountable, noting that many of the items discarded could have been properly disposed of at Community Recycling Centres or collected from the kerbside at no additional charge.
Source: Noah Wire Services