Fine for Dudley man who ignored warnings to tidy up his garden
A man who ignored warnings to tidy up the waste dumped outside his home has been ordered to pay more than £1,000.
Dudley Council told Jason Heathcock in April that he must remove the bagged rubbish, discarded furniture, timber, building waste and other waste gathering in the back garden of his home in Badger Street, Lye.
The authority said the rubbish was "likely to provide harbourage and habitat for rats and other vermin".
The 53-year-old failed to act, leading to a council prosecution for failing to take required steps with regards pests after a local authority notice.
At Dudley Magistrates Court on November 8, Heathcock was fined £440.
He was also told to pay costs of £400 and a £176 surcharge. In total he must pay £1,016.
Councillor Damian Corfield, cabinet member for highways and environmental services, said: “Dudley Council brought a case against Jason Heathcock to Dudley Magistrates’ Court earlier this month after he failed to clear waste at his property on Badger Street in Lye, which was likely to attract vermin.
“Heathcock failed to attend court but was found guilty in his absence. The court imposed a £440 fine, a victim surcharge of £176 and £400 in legal costs backed by a 28-day collection order.”
