A handyman has been fined and ordered to pay hundreds of pounds after dumping waste from a property he was working on in a Darlington back alley.

Gary Marsh was linked to waste that had been dumped on Southend Avenue by civic enforcement officers.

The waste included a number of carboard boxes, bin bags full of waste and a plastic container.

Marsh was invited for an interview under caution but failed to appear.

Marsh, from Hartlepool, of GM Handyman Services, was found guilty at Peterlee Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (28 May) of failing, without reasonable excuse, to provide information relevant to an investigation into fly tipping, contrary to section 110(2)(a) and (5) or the Environment Act 1995.

He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £322.50 and a victim surcharge of £88.

The court heard that on 8 December 2023, civic enforcement officers from Darlington Borough Council attended a report of fly-tipped waste in the back lane of Southend Avenue, Darlington.

Evidence gathered linked the waste to renovation works on a nearby property that was being carried out by Marsh, trading as GM Handyman Services.

Marsh was invited to an interview under caution regarding the waste but failed to appear or make contact with officers. A notice under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 was issued requiring Marsh to attend an interview or make suitable alternative arrangements, but no response was received.

Graham Hall, head of community safety at Darlington Borough, said: “Our staff work hard to keep Darlington’s streets, back lanes and green spaces clean and tidy for all to enjoy, and we will not tolerate fly tipping.

“This case sends out a clear message that we will investigate incidents of fly tipping and whenever possible take action against those responsible.

“We would also like to remind householders that if you pay someone, other than the council, to take your waste away, you should always check they have a waste carrier licence and ask for a waste transfer note. If your waste is fly tipped, you could be fined along with the individual or company you paid to remove it.”

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The Environment Agency issues waste carrier licences. You can check if a company has a licence using the online register at https://bit.ly/CheckENV

Information on the correct means of disposing of all types of waste can be found on the council’s website www.darlington.gov.uk. 

Most household items can be disposed of for free at the tip – for more details visit www.darlington.gov.uk/tip. If you can’t get to the tip you can book a Bulky Waste Collection – for more details visit www.darlington.gov.uk/bulkywaste.

You can report a fly-tip, or anyone you see fly-tipping, online at www.darlington.gov.uk/reportit.