A SALISBURY mum has been fined after a video of her fly-tipping a plastic flower trough at a school was posted on TikTok.

Nadine Russell, of London Road, admitted dumping waste at Chafyn Grove School without an environmental permit on or before July 16, 2020.

She appeared before Salisbury Magistrates' Court on Tuesday January 4.

Wiltshire Council solicitor Andrew Komosa told the court the defendant fly-tipped a plastic flower trough on to school premises. 

He said the video, which was shown during the court hearing, was put on TikTok "so the whole world could see it".

Mr Komosa told the court the video was showing "the rest of the world how to flytip".

The council's Environmental Enforcement Officers conducted an investigation and found that evidence of this crime being committed was posted on social media, which it says was crucial in securing this conviction.

Mr Komosa said the defendant had not engaged with the council which had offered to deal with the matter with a £400 fixed penalty notice. However, prosecution had been a "last resort" because of her "inactivity" in engaging with the local authority.

This was disputed by Russell who said she had engaged with the council.

The council says Russell failed to attend an interview under caution regarding this offence and failed to pay the fixed penalty notice.

Addressing the court, the defendant said: "I'm really sorry. It was a stupid thing."

She went on to say she had "no excuse" and "it was wrong, I shouldn't have done it".

The 30-year-old said she had not done it since.

The chair of the magistrates' bench said: "You have come to realise that your actions were wrong. If you had paid the fixed penalty notice we wouldn't be here today. Unfortunately, you are going to find that was a wrong decision as well."

She told the defendant her early guilty plea and means had been taken into account when imposing the sentence.

Russell was fined £320 and order to pay a £34 surcharge as well as £282.90 to pay for the solicitors costs - bringing the total to £636.90.

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Highways and Waste, said: “This prosecution shows that we take all fly-tipping reports seriously and will fully investigate them, however small.

“Fly-tipping is a blight on our local environment, a source of pollution, a potential danger to public health and it is a drain on council resources. The household recycling centre is less than 10 minutes away from where the waste was dumped.

“We have a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping and we will take formal action against any offenders. If people see fly-tipping, please report it to us, and we will take action.”

 

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