Three suspected fly-tippers from Wolverhampton have been hit with substantial fines totalling £7,316 after they refused to cooperate with a local authority investigation into illegally dumped waste.
Defendants Ignored Requests and Court Hearings
In separate prosecutions brought by the City of Wolverhampton Council, Kumar Shresta, Doina Begian, and Ancuta Marcu were all found guilty of failing to comply with requests for assistance from environmental crime officers. Their lack of cooperation effectively halted probes into who was responsible for the dumped rubbish.
The first case involved Kumar Shresta, who was identified after cardboard packaging and black bags were found dumped on a footpath in Drummond Street on 26 February. Council tax records were used to trace him. After ignoring a fixed penalty notice and a reminder letter, Shresta then failed to attend the Civic Centre to assist the investigation.
At Dudley Magistrates' Court on 22 October, Shresta was fined £1,500, ordered to pay a £60 victim surcharge and costs of £1,604.
Bags Dumped Next to Litter Bin
The second case stemmed from an incident on 20 April on Dudley Road, where a woman was seen leaving her property, crossing the road, and depositing black bags on the footpath next to a public litter bin. When officers visited the address, residents Doina Begian and Ancuta Marcu opened the door but refused to engage. They subsequently did not comply with a requirement to attend the Civic Centre for an interview.
Both were summoned to Dudley Magistrates' Court on 3 December. Neither attended the hearing and were convicted in their absence. Each was fined £660, with a victim surcharge of £264 and costs of £1,152, bringing their individual totals to £2,076.
Council Sends a Clear Warning
The council confirmed that the costs awarded would be reinvested into its environmental crime service. Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services, issued a stern warning to potential offenders.
"Fly-tipping is a thoughtless and unpleasant crime," said Cllr Gakhal. "It's quite clear that if we suspect you of dumping waste, we are going to use all of our powers to track you down. As these cases prove, failing to co-operate and obstructing officers in their investigations can lead to serious consequences."
He added that the prosecutions serve as a warning that the council will not be ignored, and clarified that litter bins are only for 'pocket' waste like food wrappers, not for household rubbish. Leaving any waste on the footpath, even near a bin, can be considered fly-tipping.
