Man gets suspended prison sentence for fly-tipping spree

Joseph Patrick Ramsey, 37, operated a waste collection business using various trading names with his dad Joseph Robert James Ramsay.

Over several weeks beginning October 2021, Joseph Patrick Ramsey charged people hundreds of pounds to collect their rubbish, saying he would dispose of it properly.

But in reality he callously dumped it on streets around Newcastle, including an area near Hadrian’s Wall.

On one occasion, carpets, kitchen fittings and concrete gutters containing asbestos were among the rubbish left near a nursery and a high school on Gretna Road in Benwell.

Waste was also dumped on Avalon Drive in South West Denton, on the back lane of Shafto Street and Parmontley Street in Scotswood, on a lane between James Street and West View in Elswick and along Hospital Lane in Walbottle.

This included laminate flooring, mattresses, toilets and a small freezer.

Joseph Patrick Ramsey, of Silver Lonnen, Fenham, pleaded guilty to five counts of depositing controlled waste on land without the authority of an environmental permit.

He was sentenced to 24 months in prison, suspended for two years, and ordered to carry 300 hours of unpaid work at a hearing at Teesside Crown Court on February 20.

The court heard it could not be established if Joseph Robert James Ramsay knew his son was illegally fly-tipping the rubbish.

Joseph Robert James Ramsay, of the same address, pleaded guilty to two offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, relating to misleading adverts for the recycling business and a fake online review.

The 61-year-old was given a four-week curfew. 

After the hearing Cllr Irim Ali, Newcastle City Council Cabinet member for a Dynamic City, said: “Fly-tipping is a serious offence and it blights our communities.

“I’d like to congratulate our officers for their excellent work for bringing the culprits to justice and I hope this sends a clear message that we’ll not tolerate this type of behaviour in our city.

“We work extremely hard to keep Newcastle clean and we will not allow a minority to spoil it.”

To report an incident of fly-tipping, call the council on 0191 278 7878 and ask for environmental health or email psr@newcastle.gov.uk.

If you witness a fly-tipping incident and the offenders are present, call Northumbria Police on 101.