A shop owner who repeatedly placed furniture and household items on a street in Anfield has been hit with a bill of more than £1,600.
Elliott James of Belmont Drive in L6, was found guilty at Liverpool Magistrates Court of depositing items on Rocky Lane between July and December last year, blocking the highway.
The Council brought a prosecution under Section 137 (1) of the Highways Act 1980.
He failed to appear in court for the hearing on 23 January and in his absence he was fined £660, plus a victim surcharge of £700 costs, meaning he will have to pay a total bill of £1,624.
The prosecution was brought with the support of the City Council’s Environmental Crime Enforcement Team, which was appointed last year to identify and take action against offenders who blight our local communities, be that by fly-tipping, littering or as in this case, causing obstruction of the highway. The team patrol the streets every day of the week to educate local communities on correct waste management and investigate environmental crimes.
Working closely with Merseyside Police, the team also check waste carriers to make sure they are disposing of waste correctly and carry the right licence to be able to do so.
They are set to double in size in the coming months, providing more capacity to work with residents and businesses to prevent future fly-tipping.
The Council is about to appoint an external partner to work closely with the taskforce to increase awareness of correct waste disposal and clamp down on illegal dumping, littering and dog-fouling.
Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said: “Mr James repeatedly placed furniture and large household items on a residential street, blighting the area and causing inconvenience and nuisance to people using the footway.
“This type of behaviour is completely unacceptable and the action we have taken outlines our determination to prosecute when we have the necessary evidence. “We know residents are sick and tired of people abusing our streets and often using them as a dumping ground, and we are committed to stamping it out.”
