A resident of Wolverhampton has been handed a significant financial penalty after letters bearing his name were discovered amongst illegally dumped waste.
Evidence uncovered during street clean-up
The case began in July last year when landowner Midland Heart Housing Association reported a pile of discarded items on Holcroft Street in Wolverhampton. The rubbish, which included packaging, plastic bottles, and a pair of slippers, was left on a pavement and grass verge.
During the subsequent clear-up operation by the City of Wolverhampton Council, several letters addressed to Manuel Beghian were found within the waste, providing a direct link to a potential suspect.
Failure to cooperate leads to court
Following the discovery, council officers served Beghian with a formal notice under the Environment Act 1995. This required him to attend an appointment with the environmental crime team or to rearrange it if necessary.
However, Beghian failed to make any contact with the council or attend the scheduled appointment. This lack of cooperation prompted the authority to initiate legal proceedings against him.
The case was heard at Dudley Magistrates' Court on 17 December. Beghian, of Brown Street, Wolverhampton, was found guilty in his absence of an obstruction charge for failing to comply with the investigating officers' requests.
Substantial fine and a warning to others
The magistrates imposed a total financial penalty of £2,350. This was comprised of a £250 fine, a £100 victim surcharge, and £2,000 in court costs awarded to the council.
A council spokesperson confirmed that the costs recovered will be reinvested directly back into its environmental crime service to fund further enforcement action.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, Wolverhampton's Cabinet Member for Resident Services, issued a stern warning: "There is simply no excuse for dumping waste in our streets. Anyone thinking of carrying out this unpleasant crime should know that we will do everything we can to track you down."
"You cannot simply ignore us, because we will prosecute - and we will publicise," Gakhal added. He emphasised the importance of highlighting such cases to deter others and praised the hard work of street cleaning crews whose efforts are undermined by fly-tipping.
