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Rubbish judgment sees resident fined for A34 fly-tip 

Vale of White Horse District Council has successfully prosecuted a Didcot resident after their waste was found fly-tipped in a layby on the A34 southbound, near Kennington—an area of persistent public concern around litter and illegal dumping. 

Lisa Maughan, 36, of Dovecote Mews, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 11 July when she pleaded guilty to breaching her duty of care for the disposal of household waste.  

The court heard that waste connected to Ms Maughan was discovered in the layby. The council initially offered to resolve the matter with a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice, but Ms Maughan declined. She claimed to have paid someone to take the waste away and assumed it would be disposed of correctly. However, she failed to record any details of the individual or vehicle involved, therefore breaching her legal duty to ensure her waste was handled responsibly. 

After considering her early guilty plea and financial circumstances, Magistrates imposed a £300 fine along with a £120 victim surcharge and £50 contribution towards prosecution costs. 

Cllr Hayleigh Gascoigne, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, Climate Action and Nature Recovery, at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “Fly-tipping is a real blight on our environment, and locations like the A34, which attract significant public concern, are especially sensitive. This prosecution sends a clear message: if you fail to take responsibility for who disposes of your waste, you will be held accountable. We urge residents to always check that anyone taking waste from their home has a valid waste carriers licence.” 

If you pay someone to remove rubbish from your property and it’s then fly-tipped, you could be fined or prosecuted.  Don’t risk it, make sure you stay legal by following the S.C.R.A.P code at whitehorsedc.gov.uk/removingwaste  

If you spot a fly-tip or suspect that someone is involved in fly-tipping, please report it by visiting whitehorsedc.gov.uk/flytipping 

 Notes to Editors: 

  • The prosecution was brought under Section 34(2A) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. 
  • The A34 continues to be a hotspot for littering and illegal waste disposal due to its high traffic and multiple laybys.