Merton Council has just won two cases against fly tippers in the borough as Wimbledon Magistrates Court ruled against Paul Sawyer and Zubeda Quddos for illegally dumping rubbish in Merton.

Mr Sawyer of Spencer Road, Mitcham, was fined £500 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £415 after he was caught dumping three black sacks of tile sand and scrap wood, a toilet pan and two cardboard boxes containing old broken tiles next to the council’s recycling bins in Streatham Road, Mitcham.

The council also secured another prosecution when the court found Express Net Café guilty of dumping two empty boxes on the floor at the recycling centre in Palmerston Road, Wimbledon. Company director Mrs Quddos was fined £500 and ordered to pay £497 costs. This case follows a council prosecution last year when Express Net Café was convicted of failing in its duty of care as a business after it was unable to provide documentation to the council on how it disposes of its business waste.

Merton Council cabinet member for environment and leisure services Councillor David Simpson said: ‘Recycling sites have been placed around the borough so that our residents can easily recycle their rubbish. Companies and individuals alike will not be allowed to get away with abusing these facilities by fly tipping their waste. We always work to put the needs of our residents first and we will clamp down on anyone committing this anti-social and environmentally irresponsible crime. We have had requests to remove the recycling bins because they attract fly tipping, but we are keen for residents to have easy access to these convenient recycling facilities. After all, most people use them legitimately. It is only the small minority who abuse the service, but they will be found out. Anyone thinking that fly tipping is the quick way to a fast buck should think again. It’s a costly business and they will pay.’

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