Hefty fines for dumping household waste and furniture

Two women have been ordered to pay more than £4,500 after being convicted of fly tipping offences in Gloucester.

Monika Dirdova and Sharon Evans were found to be responsible for dumping a large amount of household waste and furniture on the corner of Gothic Cottages and Barton Street on or around 17 January 2019.

Gloucester City Council investigated the offence and issued fixed penalty notices to the two culprits, with a view to settling the matter out of court.

However both Dirdova, aged 45, of Barton Street, and Evans, aged 55, of Barton Street, failed to pay the fines so the city council prosecuted them for householder duty of care offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The case was heard at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court on Monday 23 September and both were found guilty in their absence.

Dirdova was ordered to pay a fine of £2,640, a victim surcharge of £170 and costs of £500. Evans was given a lesser fine as it was found from the paperwork within the waste that she was on benefit and was fined £720, made to pay a victim surcharge of £72 and costs of £490.

Cllr Richard Cook, cabinet member for environment at Gloucester City Council, said: “We will not tolerate people acting irresponsibly and thinking they can get rid of their household waste in this manner. They should think twice about their actions as they will be prosecuted by the courts.

“Gloucester City Council spends more than £1million a year cleaning up litter and fly tipping from its streets and we are determined to stamp it out.”