SOME 12 Oldham residents who dumped waste illegally have been successfully prosecuted.

They appeared in Tameside Magistrates’ Court on December 5.

In July this year Oldham Council Environmental Health officers visited land off Taylor Street and found black bags, household waste, builders’ waste and garden waste.

The rubbish was traced to Michael Serridge, aged 55, of Ripponden Road and he pleaded guilty to fly tipping in court. He was fined £150 with £556 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Bethany Hayes, aged 24, of Grange Street, Failsworth did not attend court and was found guilty in her absence of littering and fined £220 with £275 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

She had previously failed to pay a fixed penalty notice (FPN) after her waste was found dumped in the alley behind her house in July.

Errol Zajac-Jones, aged 28, of Shaw Road pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after waste he had paid someone to move was found dumped on Crime Lane, Failsworth in March. He failed to check if the person collecting the waste was licenced to do so and had no details of the person.

On November 14, magistrates imposed a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £700 costs.

Six days earlier Kayleigh Dowd, aged 28 of Forrest Street, pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after her waste was found dumped behind her property in March.

She was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £400 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The following cases were all heard on November 1.

Rehana Begum pleaded guilty by post to littering. The 55-year-old of Cranberry Street was issued with an FPN, which she failed to pay, after her waste was found dumped in the alley way behind her home. She was fined £40 with £406 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Kellie Dunleay, aged 42 of Lucerne Close, Chadderton was issued with an FPN after failing to comply with a notice served on her to tidy up rubbish in her back yard. She failed to pay the FPN and failed to attend court. She was found guilty in her absence and fined £660 with £650 costs and a £66 victim surcharge.

Another resident who did not attend court after being issued with an FPN was Michelle Royston.

The 36-year-old of Ester Street was issued with the FPN after her waste was found dumped in the alley behind her property.

She was found guilty in her absence and fined £220 with £406 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Waste found dumped in Pitt Street was traced to Rashid Hussain – who lives on the same street. The 28-year-old failed to pay the FPN issued to him and was fined £220 with £431 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Joanne Hall, aged 43 of Mersey Road North was issued with an FPN after her waste was found dumped in the alley.

She failed to pay the FPN and failed to attend court. She was found guilty in her absence and fined £220 costs with £406 fine plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Another resident who thought it was acceptable to leave his waste in an alleyway behind his house was Corneliu Geblescu, aged 46 of Salford Street. He failed to pay and FPN and attend court. He was fined £220 with £406 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Waste found dumped in a car park in Manchester Street was traced to Mohammed Kamran, 34 of Long Lane, Chadderton. He pleaded guilty to fly tipping in court and was fined £290 with £681 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Aftab Sharif, of Glenfield Close pleaded guilty to fly tipping after his waste was found dumped on a bridle path off Clarksfield Road. He was fined £184 with £431 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Cllr Arooj Shah, deputy leader of Oldham Council and cabinet member for neighbourhood services, said: “It’s shameful that residents think they can get away with leaving rubbish on our streets or not clearing up after themselves properly.

“Last year we picked up more than 1,500 tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish – and unfortunately its council taxpayers’ who picked up the bill. It costs £2,500 a day when you take into account staff wages, running a van and waste disposal fees.

“Annually that is money that could be used to fill 40,000 potholes or support 2,500 elderly people so they can live independently at home.

“It’s not the council dumping the rubbish and we don’t have the resources or the money to drive around our borough picking up waste that people have dumped.

“Everyone needs to do their bit. Thankfully, the vast majority of you don’t fly tip but for this problem to go away we need the selfish few to stop.”