A lengthy investigation has seen a business owner brought to justice after a lorry load of rubbish was dumped near a children’s play area in Bolton.
A lengthy investigation has seen a business owner brought to justice after a lorry load of rubbish was dumped near a children’s play area in Bolton.
Stefan Oprescu, owner of RS Building, appeared in Bolton Magistrates’ Court this month and admitted he was responsible for waste material from home renovations that was tipped in a public space near Edditch Grove.
The result marks the culmination of months of work by Bolton Council which saw officers collaborating with other public agencies and carrying out a thorough investigation to find those responsible.
The council’s Cleansing and Enforcement Team were alerted to the flytipping in February last year.
The waste contained white goods, rubble and used carpets and required a considerable amount of resources to clean up.
Investigations linked the material to properties in Haslingden, Lancashire owned by London based firm Fabco Properties Ltd and managed by a company in Salford.
What followed was a complex legal investigation to untangle which of the companies was responsible for the waste.
During an eventual court appearance in April, Fabco accepted responsibility for handing the refurbishment contract to a firm called RS Building and failing to ensure waste from their properties was deposed of correctly.
Fabco was fined £1,900 and ordered to pay a £170 victim surcharge and £1,862 in costs.
Officers faced another challenge when trying to find RS Building and enlisted the help of Greater Manchester Police and Salford Council.
When Oprescu was interviewed he claimed he has passed the waste to a company he found on Gumtree.
After he twice failed to appear in court he was arrested and brought before magistrates. He was fined £250 alongside a £30 surcharge and costs of £2,516.
Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Cllr Nick Peel, said: “This was a complex and lengthy case that required a great deal of dedication and working hours from council staff.
“The effort that has gone into this is a strong reminder that flytipping will not be tolerated and that we will go to any length to prosecute those responsible.
“The costs awarded in the case reflect both the scale of the clean-up operation and the length of the investigation.
“This was a significant amount of waste, but the principle remains the same whether it is a lorry load of rubble or a single bag of rubbish.
“Whether it is a company or an individual, it is your responsibility to ensure your waste is being taken away by a licensed carrier who will deposed of it safely and sustainably."