A fly-tipper from Upminster who dumped 36 tonnes of asbestos-contaminated rubble on a street in Beckton has been given a suspended jail sentence.
Stuart Beattie, 26, had been previously warned of a possible custodial sentence after he dumped the dangerous waste in two separate spots on Eric Clarke Lane in March this year.
The court heard he needed the money from fly-tipping to support a £400-a-week cocaine habit.
His reckless action resulted in the road being closed and buses put on diversion and the entrance to children’s riding stables was blocked.
He admitted fly-tipping at Thames Magistrates Court last month but the case was transferred to Snaresbrook Crown Court due to the seriousness of the offence.
However last week he was given a two-year suspended jail sentence after the judge took into account his admission and his co-operation with a drug rehabilitation order to tackle his addiction.
Beattie was also convicted of driving offences after the four-axle dumper truck he used was found to be unsafe, uninsured, and was being used without a waste carrier’s licence.
He was fined £1,900 and ordered to pay Newham Council £2,500 in compensation.
Councillor Forhad Hussain, Newham Council’s cabinet member for crime and anti-social behaviour, told the Recorder he was disappointed with the sentence.
He said: “In this case it cost the council over £8,000 just to clear the mess, that’s without the cost of the investigation, surveillance and man hours to bring the case to court.
“The £2,500 compensation simply doesn’t cover the costs – and it’s Newham Council tax payers who will have to pick up the tab.
“This is an extremely disappointing result for Newham and its residents. This individual quite calculatingly drove into our borough with two huge tipper trucks full of waste, some of it toxic, and dumped it on a public highway. The risk to public health, the inconvenience caused by a blocked bus route, and the tax payers’ money spent clearing the mess, is simply not reflected in the sentence.
“The courts must make the penalty fit the crime. Fly-tipping on this scale is big business, with big profits.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here