Couple Fined £1,200 for Fly-Tipping After Claiming Rubbish Was Stolen

A couple received a £1,200 fine for fly-tipping in front of their residence, although they assert their waste had been tampered with and scattered. Abigail Swinn and her partner, residents of Boston, expressed feeling “helpless” upon being issued individual fixed penalty notices of £600. Ms Swinn, aged 24, stated that a bin bag was taken, its contents removed, and subsequently discarded approximately 30ft (10m) from their property. She has since reported this occurrence to the police. Boston Borough Council, the authority that imposed the penalties, affirmed its stance on taking environmental crime “very seriously” and indicated it would review the specifics of the case should it be contacted. Ms Swinn, a mother to a young daughter, commented: “How we’re going to do the fine and Christmas, I don’t know.” She added, “It’s a lot of money to fork out.“I did have a couple of tears, because you just don’t know how you’re going to pay it – especially for something that we haven’t done.”” The event transpired while the couple was undertaking renovations at their residence. The couple transported nine bin bags of waste to a nearby refuse facility last Wednesday; however, upon their return, they possessed two extra bags, which they positioned beside their existing bin. “I checked the council’s website – it said you can put four extra bags next to the bins,” Ms Swinn clarified. She suspects that one of the bags was stolen overnight and subsequently torn open in a proximate car park. On Thursday, enforcement personnel successfully traced the discarded waste back to the couple’s address and visited their home. Boston has been engaged in a sustained campaign against fly-tipping, with individuals liable to receive fixed penalty notices (FPNs) reaching up to £1,000. This July, the council expressed its ambition to “eradicate” the problem, noting advancements made through a blend of educational initiatives and enforcement actions, which included the issuance of 237 FPNs over a 12-month period. During the first quarter of the current year, the council addressed 1,439 incidents of fly-tipping, marking a 10% decrease compared to the corresponding timeframe in 2023. Regarding her specific situation, Ms Swinn stated that she had attempted to clarify that an error had occurred. The couple has contemplated appealing the penalties, which would be lowered to £400 per person if settled within 10 days, but they are apprehensive about the prospect of court proceedings. Ms Swinn remarked: “If we lost the court case we’d face a criminal conviction or up to a £50,000 fine,” adding, “We can’t risk doing that, we don’t want a criminal conviction.”” Ms Swinn confirmed she had discussed the theft with a ward councillor and Lincolnshire Police. The police force verified the receipt of a report concerning anti-social behaviour. Nevertheless, Ms Swinn expressed that she was left to bear the cost incurred by the fly-tipper, stating: “They’re the one getting away scot-free and we’re picking up the mess.” A council spokesperson stated: “We take allegations of environmental crime offences very seriously as it impacts the cleanliness and safety of our community. “If a member of the public contacts us regarding a fixed penalty notice, we are committed to reviewing the circumstances around each case and ensuring that the correct process is being followed.””