A drive-by scrap collector has been charged thousands and given a community order after dumping waste in a popular walking spot. Tommy-Lee Barras, 29, of Devon Road in Newark pleaded guilty to three fly-tipping charges at Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on August 12, reports Lincolnshire Live.
It comes after North Kesteven District Council responded to the dumping of a large amount of material near Leadenham a year ago. He admitted fly-tipping on August 18, 2023, not having the necessary waste carrier’s licence to take the waste away and failing to assist in the investigation by providing the required information or assistance.
The waste included flooring, signs and construction items as well as paperwork relating to a premises in Kirton, Boston. After being traced back to its origins, the property owner confirmed it was his. He said a white Ford Transit van, later found to be Barras’, pulled up at the premises looking for scrap and the driver offered to take the waste away for £350.
The business owner admitted he made no checks for a waste carrier’s licence and accepted that he failed in his duty of care to ensure that Barras was a legitimate waste carrier, for which he was fined £400. Barras was charged £2,300 and told to do 15 days of rehabilitation and 150 hours of unpaid community service work.
Councillor Mark Smith, the council’s executive board member with special interest for environment and public protection, said: “There were numerous complaints received regarding the dumping of this waste in a popular walking location. Members of the public were understandably outraged by this blatant environmental crime, as were we.
“Tommy-Lee Barras was paid and trusted to deal with this material properly but instead sought to profit through criminality, without any consideration for the law, the environment harmed by dumping it in open countryside, or the people affected. Fly-tipping is not a victim-less crime and it is important for everyone to be vigilant in doing the right thing and engaging the right people to handle their waste to ensure it doesn’t happen.
“As this case shows, we take a very dim view to fly-tipping of any waste in our area and in partnership with the Lincolnshire Environmental Crime Partnership will continue to take a rigorous approach to people like Barras w
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