Fly-tippers, an illegal waste carrier and a woman who dropped a cigarette have all appeared in court.

Medway Magistrates’ Court heard cases on September 24 following prolonged investigations by Dartford council into waste being dumped illegally or carried without a licence.

Alfie Ryan, 42, and Tammie Ryan, 37, both of Bronte Grove, Dartford, admitted dumping wood and construction materials at Riverside Industrial Estate, Dartford on June 2, 2019.

Tammie Ryan admitted a further offence of fly-tipping, relating to fridge-freezers and garden waste that were left at Orbital One Trading Estate on June 1, 2019. She was handed a 12-month community order and must carry out 100 hours of unpaid work. Magistrates also ordered her to pay costs totally £615.

Alfie Ryan was handed a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. He was ordered to pay costs totalling £985.74.

In another case, Rosen Nikolov, 30, from Waltham Cross, London, was convicted of transporting controlled waste without a licence and failing to produce a waste carrier’s licence.

Nikolov was caught carrying 20 drums of used cooking oil on Crayford Road on June 11, 2021, after picking them up from various restaurant premises.

He was stopped during Operation Assist – a joint exercise carried out by Dartford council, and Kent Police.

Nikolov was convicted in his absence and was ordered to pay fines and costs totally £1,428.

Elsewhere, Karen Whitton, 54, from Orpington, was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £282 in costs after dropping a cigarette and failing to pick it up in Home Gardens, Dartford, on March 26, 2021.

Council leader Jeremy Kite said: “We’ve always prioritised the prosecution of fly-tippers and environmental criminals because they are the sort of crimes that ruin places for huge numbers of decent people.

“Following the pandemic we are doubling down on these offences and going the extra-mile to investigate and find the culprits.

“There’s simply no excuse for dumping waste. It’s a disgusting and dangerous thing to do and we’re hoping the courts will hand down even greater fines and more severe penalties.

“It’s a difficult and time-consuming business getting to the bottom of some of these crimes but we’re determined to do it. It’s important that the whole community knows who the offenders are and what they have done.

“Some of the material dumped has come from jobs where a householder may have thought that the waste was being dumped responsibly, but clearly it’s not. It’s crucial that people take great care when giving work to builders and waste carriers.”

Residents who spot fly-tipping should report it to Dartford council or Kent Police.

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