Woman fined after her waste was fly-tipped in East Riding countryside

Thursday, 12 March 2026

A woman from Scarborough was fined by a court after giving her waste to someone else, who then dumped it in the East Riding countryside.

Rubbish belonging to Aurelia Pearson of Overdale, Scarborough, including bin bags containing general waste and children’s toys, was found strewn on the side of Burton Fleming Road, Fordon, near Wold Newton, in March last year.

Pearson appeared at Beverley Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 4 March, where she pleaded guilty to failing in her duty of care to make sure her waste was disposed of properly and legally.

She was fined £120 and ordered to pay £454.01 costs and a £48 victim surcharge.

The court heard streetscene enforcement officers from East Riding of Yorkshire Council found bin bags of waste dumped on the roadside in Fordon on 24 March last year, following a report from a member of the public.

During investigations, evidence was found relating to Pearson.

In evidence, Pearson said she had given rubbish to another person, who then went on to fly-tip her waste.

She admitted she did not make reasonable checks to ensure her rubbish was handed to a licensed, authorised waste collector.

Residents are responsible for disposing of their own waste properly and legally by using household wheelie bins provided or by taking larger items of waste to their local household waste recycling site. 

They can also hire a licensed waste carrier to take the rubbish away – but people must always check where their waste is going, get an official receipt and note down the registration number of any vehicles used.

To operate legally any firm that removes waste needs to be registered with the Environment Agency as a licensed waste carrier.

Carl Skelton, director of streetscene services at East Riding of Yorkshire Council, said: “I’d like to thank the public for their report of this fly-tip.

“Rubbish like this strewn across the countryside is an unsightly mess. It could have easily been put in a wheelie bin at home.

“Abandoning waste is never acceptable. Even if you give it to someone else to dispose of, you are responsible for your own waste, and if it gets dumped, we will take action where we can.”

Anyone caught fly-tipping in the East Riding could be ordered to pay a fixed penalty of up to £1,000 or the case could be taken to court, where they face an unlimited fine or even imprisonment.

In addition any vehicles used in connection with the fly-tipping of waste can be seized and destroyed.

Fly-tipping information: 

  • People are asked not to touch any fly-tipped waste or approach anyone they see fly-tipping. 

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