Driver fined for illegally tipping load

A tipper driver will have to pay £965 in fines and costs for being caught driving a truck loaded with rubble without being registered as a waste carrier by the Environment Agency.

Patrick Egan, from Grays in Essex, was convicted in his absence by Basildon magistrates of driving the truck without being registered as a waste carrier nor being employed by a registered waste carrier.

The court fined him £660 and ordered that he should also pay a victim surcharge of £66, Environment Agency costs of £85 and compensation of £154.

Police stopped the tipper truck, which was loaded with rubble, bricks and plasterboard, in Gumley Road, Grays in the course of an investigation into fly-tipping in January.

Egan told police the vehicle belonged to a friend called James whom he sometimes did favours for, such as driving lorries and was paid £100 to drive it. He said he did not check the load.

After the hearing an Environment Agency officer spokesperson said: “People driving tipper trucks such as Mr Egan drove have a responsibility to check the load and to be properly permitted by the Environment Agency. It is not good enough to ignore this advice as the court decision has shown today.”