Following an investigation by Northumberland County Council, a Blyth man has been fined for owning and being in control of a vehicle which was used for fly-tipping. 
 

The vehicle registered to David Leadbitter of Leaholme Crescent in Blyth was used in the incident to dump household waste in Seghill causing a blight on the landscape – rubbish which could easily have been disposed of for free at the household waste recycling centre in Blyth. 
 

Leadbitter, 37, pleaded guilty following his arrest on warrant at Newcastle Magistrates Court on Thursday 18th April 2024 of being in control of a vehicle which was used to illegally fly-tip household waste in Mill Lane, Seghill. 
 

He was sentenced to a fine of £100, ordered to pay £200 in costs and a victim surcharge of £40 - a total financial penalty of £340. 
 

On Monday the 10th of April 2023 at approximately 1.00 pm a fly tipping incident was witnessed occurring on Mill Lane at Seghill by a member of the public. The waste consisted of garden furniture and a children's slide. The whole incident was captured on dashcam with the vehicle used, a small white van registration number HK55 KKO, clearly identified. 
 

Officers from the Council’s Environmental Enforcement Team investigated but Leadbitter, who was identified as the vehicle owner did not assist the County Council at all during the process and failed to attend voluntary PACE interviews.  
 

Northumberland County Councillor Gordon Stewart, Cabinet member for Looking After our Communities said: 

“Northumberland is a truly beautiful county and we intend to keep it that way.  We have a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping and in every instance, we are able, we will prosecute offenders.” 
 

“We have Household Waste Recovery Centres right across the county, including in Blyth where the majority of all household waste can be disposed of free of charge. It is likely that the perpetrator went miles out of his way to dump the rubbish, driving past a recycling centre right on his doorstep.”  
 

“ No matter what the waste, or the reasons behind it, fly-tipping is a very serious offence because of the damage it causes to the environment, as well as the cost to the taxpayer of clearing and disposing of the waste.” 

  

The county council also offers a bulky waste collection. .For more information go to http://www.northumberland.gov.uk/waste