Leytonstone man fined after fly-tipping in Redbridge

A man has been fined for fly-tipping after he illegally dumped bags of rubbish outside an east London waste disposal centre.

Redbridge Council took action against Junaid Ali Rafi, 33, after being alerted to the fly-tipping incident by staff at Chigwell Road Reuse and Recycling Centre.

The centre can be used for free by residents of Redbridge, Newham, Havering or Barking and Dagenham.

Those using it must show proof of their identity in the form of a driving licence with current address, or a current council tax bill.

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Rafi, of Forest Drive East, Leytonstone, arrived at the centre in a vehicle accompanied by another man, Redbridge Council said.

He attempted to access the site by showing an unopened letter addressed to a female as proof of ID.

Staff advised Rafi, who was a passenger in the vehicle, that he didn’t have the required ID showing he was entitled to use the Redbridge-based facility.

On challenging staff, Rafi was repeatedly advised that he could only gain access by providing an acceptable form of ID, said the council.

Soon after, the unidentified driver and Rafi emerged from the vehicle, removing several bags of rubbish from the boot, which they dumped by the site’s entrance gate.

As they passed the bags of rubbish to the ground, some split open sending the waste content spilling out across the floor.

The council said that when the men were dumping the rubbish bags, some of them split open leaving rubbish strewn on the floor (Image: Redbridge Council)

The council said bodycam footage worn by a site operative also showed both men being verbally aggressive and abusive to staff before getting back in the vehicle, reversing over some of the fly-tipped rubbish and fleeing the scene, said the council.

The incident was reported to the council’s enforcement team, who traced the vehicle back to Rafi.

Court proceedings were initiated against him after he failed to attend two council-led interview appointments as part of the investigation, as well as fail to provide details of the driver.

Rafi appeared at Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday, May 23 and pleaded guilty to fly-tipping.

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He was sentenced to a fine, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge, council costs and compensation to Renewi for clear-up costs, all totalling £945.

Redbridge cabinet member for environment and civic pride, Cllr Jo Blackman, said: “There is never a reason to leave your rubbish behind in our borough, including outside the local tip.

“Dumping rubbish and abusing staff is inexcusable behaviour.”