Man who dumped television in garden receives suspended sentence

By Andrew McKegney

Senior Staff Writer

23 December 2019

| | 2 min read

Environment

Man who dumped television in garden receives suspended sentence

A man who discarded a television in a Newcastle garden has been handed a suspended jail sentence.

courtesy of Chronicle Reach plc

Adam Whiffin, 24, of Girven Terrace West, Easington Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, was seen by a Newcastle City Council enforcement officer with the television on Canterbury Street in the east end of the city in March 2018.

He was seen dragging the large TV along the pavement by its electrical cables towards a Ford Transit van. However, having appeared to have been told something by another individual stood by the vehicle, he changed his course of action and threw the television into a nearby garden.

The officer who had witnessed this on March 14 then challenged Whiffin who became aggressive and refused to cooperate with initial enquiries. He also then failed to attend an interview on March 22.

Once court proceedings began, Whiffin pleaded not guilty to waste offences and elected for trial by jury following his first court appearance and his trial was listed for March 2020. However, while on remand he changed his plea and pleaded guilty to three charges when he appeared at Newcastle Crown Court on December 12.

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He admitted an offence of depositing controlled waste without a permit, transporting controlled waste without being registered to do so, dealing in scrap metal without a licence, failing to provide his details to the officer, and two offences of breaching bail conditions.

Whiffin was given a three-month prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to pay fines of £300 and a victim surcharge of £115.

Cllr Nick Kemp, Newcastle City Council cabinet member for Environment and Regulatory Services, said: “This is a positive outcome and I’m delighted for the hard-working officers who have persevered to see Whiffin brought to justice.

“Fly-tipping has terrible consequences for the environment and can be a real hazard to those who come into contact with illegal deposits of waste.

“Waste regulations exist for our safety and the message is clear: if you do not comply, you will face prosecution.”

Newcastle City Council is running a city-wide anti-litter campaign aimed at discouraging littering and waste offences and highlighting the costs involved in clearing it up. In 2018, littering and fly-tipping cost the council £2 million.

If you have details of a person or vehicle you have witnessed fly-tipping, please email us at psr@newcastle.gov.uk or telephone 0191 278 7878 and ask for 'environmental health’.

Fly-tipping has terrible consequences for the environment and can be a real hazard to those who come into contact with illegal deposits of waste.