Our Environmental Enforcement team, supported by Kent Police, has brought separate successful prosecutions for fly-tipping and non-payment of a littering fine.
The first case was brought after officers responded to reports of fly-tipping outside flats in College Road, Northfleet, in January 2022.
The offence was witnessed and caught on CCTV, and the vehicle involved was traced to Bebi Ibram of London Road, Swanscombe, who was served with documents relating to the offence, but failed to respond.
When officers attended the Swanscombe address to carry out follow up enquiries, Ibram ran from them and attempted to hide in a near-by garden, before being located and spoken to. He was holding the documentation he had originally been sent in relation to the offence.
Ibram was summoned to court in relation to the fly-tipping offence and for obstructing the investigation, but failed to attend the hearing in November 2022 and a warrant was issued.
Ibram was later arrested by officers from Kent Police’s Rural Task Force and was bailed to attend Medway Magistrates on 11 July. He again failed to appear and was found guilty of the offences in his absence.
He was arrested by Gravesham's Neighbourhood Team and appeared in court on the 19 July.
Ibram was sentenced to a 15-month Community Order, with 30 hours’ unpaid work and a 10-day rehabilitation requirement.
He was fined £1,969, ordered to pay costs of £1,855 and a victim surcharge of £114.
In a separate case, officers from the Environmental Enforcement team were in Parrock Street, Gravesend, on 4 November 2022, when they witnessed a male, who was standing next to a litter bin, throw a cigarette butt onto the floor next to it.
They challenged him and encouraged him to place it in the bin which would have avoided them issuing him with a Fixed Penalty Notice, but he replied the bin was too far away, got into a vehicle and drove off.
Checks identified the offender as Robert Sana of Kitchener Avenue, Gravesend, who was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice.
Sana failed to pay and was summonsed to appear at Medway Magistrates Court on 14 July. He failed to appear and was found guilty of the littering offence in his absence.
In addition to receiving a criminal conviction, Sana was fined £150 and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
Commenting after the cases, Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox, Gravesham Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Environment, said:
“Our Environmental Enforcement team continues to do excellent work in tracking down and taking action against those who spoil our local environment through fly-tipping and littering."
“As these successes show, it doesn’t matter how big or how small the case, where we have evidence we will pursue it through to a successful conclusion, and we are grateful for the support of our colleagues at Kent Police in helping us bring offenders to book.”
Rubbish and your duty of care
Find out about your legal 'duty of care' to make sure what anyone you ask to take away your rubbish, is registered and authorised to do so.
Read about other ways to dispose of your waste safely.
Report fly-tipping in Gravesham online or if you have any information relating to any environmental crime in the borough you can email Tipoff@gravesham.gov.uk