Double flytipping prosecution

Monday, November 30, 2009

Two Fulham Palace Road restaurants have been hit with a combined fine of £14,000 for illegally dumping their rubbish.

The first case occurred when officers spotted five large black sacks and a number of cardboard boxes unceremoniously dumped on Fulham Palace Road in November 2007. The council was able to track the waste down to the Village Restaurant, situated at 95 Fulham Palace Road, and following investigation, issued its co-owner, Ahmed Mohamed, with a fixed penalty notice of £75.

Mohamed ignored the notice and a subsequent reminder and was even seen flytipping on a separate ocassion. The case was referred to West London Magistrates' and on Tuesday November 10 Mohamed was found guilty of flytipping and fined £7,000. He was also ordered to pay cost of £1,250.

In a separate case, officers spotted more plastic sacks and boxes left under Hammersmith Flyover, at the top of Fulham Palace Road. They were quickly able to trace the waste to the Spanish Tapas Bar at number 24 Fulham Palace Road.

At West London Magistrates’ on Tuesday November 10, Golden Burritos Limited, the company that owns the Spanish Tapas Bar, was found guilty of flytipping and fined £7,000. They were also ordered to pay costs of £1,075.

Cllr Greg Smith, cabinet member for crime and street scene, said: “Mr Mohamed must be wishing that he had paid the initial £75 fine for fly-tipping as our zero-tolerance pursuit of him has ultimately led to him having to pay a fine one hundred times bigger than the original. The minority of anti-social individuals who think they can ignore the rules need to wake up and realise that we are after them. Residents are demanding cleaner streets and we will not hesitate to prosecute offenders on their behalf. 93 per cent of streets in Hammersmith & Fulham are cleaner than the national standard and we are determined to increase that rate.”

To report suspected fly-tipping call our hotline on 020 8753 1100 or email cleaner.greener@lbhf.gov.uk