Men fined for dumping truckloads of waste at Batley flytipping hotspot

Due to an increase in fly-tipping incidents on Grange Road, Batley, Kirklees Council installed covert cameras covering the area where most of the incidents occurred.

Despite there being 'no fly-tipping' and 'CCTV in operation' signs in place, the cameras captured several fly-tipping incidents, which took place in September 2021.

The two men responsible were found guilty of contravening Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (fly-tipping) and for failing to provide waste transfer documents guilty of the offences at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court on June 26.

James Matthew Warren, 35, of Moor Lane, Bradford, was found guilty and fined £1,096, with a £100 surcharge and £879 cost contribution.

William Andrew Warren, 34, of Troon Way, Wakefield, was found guilty and fined £1,107, with a £111 surcharge and £1,029 cost contribution.

In mid-September 2021, officers were called to a fly-tip on Grange Road, Batley.

Once reviewed, the CCTV footage showed that over three consecutive days September 8 to September 10, a white Scania Tipper truck with a full load of soil and hardcore reversed down Grange Road.

The flatbed was raised to deposit the contents on the road and surrounding area before the vehicle drove away from the scene.

The vehicle involved in the fly-tipping offence was traced to Hetton Transport Ltd, operating out of premises nearby at 226 Bradford Road.

The sole director of Hetton Transport Ltd being James Matthew Warren.

In court, Warren admitted that he was leasing the vehicle at the time of the offence but had sublet it to his brother William Warren and had no knowledge of the fly-tipping.

On further inspection, the CCTV overlooking Grange Road also contained similar footage of a red Scania Tipper truck on 16 September and 17 September, 2021.

The red truck was caught reversing down Grange Road, again with a full load of soil and hardcore.

Again, the flatbed was raised to deposit the contents on the road and surrounding area, the vehicle then drove away from the scene with an empty flatbed.

Investigators traced the vehicle to W A Holding (Yorkshire) Ltd, operating out of the same premises at 226 Bradford Road.

The sole director of W A Holding (Yorkshire) Ltd being William Andrew Warren.

While officers were making enquiries into the company, they received a call from staff at JD Gym on Bradford Road who reported two further fly-tipping incidents involving the same Scania in September, 2021.

The vehicle was subsequently seized by West Yorkshire Police.

William Warren admitted that he leased the vehicle but claimed that a rogue employee had committed the fly-tipping offences without his knowledge.

W A Holdings Ltd and Hetton Transport Ltd were convicted, however, they received no separate penalty.

Coun Masood Ahmed, Kirklees cabinet member for environment, said: “In these cases, our covert cameras and cooperation from local businesses were the key to helping us successfully locate and prosecute those responsible.

"We try to place CCTV cameras at as many hotspots as possible, but our teams also rely on businesses and residents to be vigilant and help us to keep Kirklees clean.

“Businesses have a duty to use the correct waste disposal methods, including completing waste transfer notes and checking that their waste carriers are registered.”