Residents Fined for Non-Cooperation in Fly-Tipping Probes

Two individuals have received financial penalties for their failure to assist East Hampshire District Council with its inquiries into two separate fly-tipping incidents in Horndean. The fines were imposed due to their refusal to cooperate with the council’s investigations. East Hampshire District Council issued a statement, asserting: “We take fly-tipping seriously and we expect residents to do the same”. The council further clarified that individuals who withhold information during investigations, even if they are not directly responsible for the waste disposal, could face legal proceedings. On 18 October, proceedings at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court resulted in fines for two individuals. Thanh Biu, residing in Eastleigh, was ordered to pay £780 for not supplying information pertinent to an investigation concerning a fly-tip on Hinton Manor Lane in August 2023. Separately, David Buceanu, from Portsmouth, received a fine of £1766 for his failure to provide information related to a fly-tip that occurred on Slant Hill in August 2022. Councillor Tony Costigan, who holds the property portfolio, commented that both individuals declined to furnish the council with details that could aid in identifying those responsible for the fly-tipping. He stated: “Fly-tipping is a blight on our beautiful countryside.“It is unsightly, polluting and costs the tax payer thousands to clear. We absolutely do not tolerate it and our district team will always examine fly-tips to see if those responsible can be identified.“If you are asked to provide information as part of the investigation you can be compelled by law to co-operate.”