Leeds flytipper handed suspended prison sentence after waste dumping spree

VIDEO SHOWING FOOTAGE OF FLYTIPPING AT ELLERBY LANE AS RECORDED BY ONLOOKERS

A local man who went on a flytipping spree earlier this year has been stopped in his wheeltracks with a suspended prison sentence after being successfully prosecuted by Leeds City Council.

David Seedo of Clark Lane, Cross Green in Leeds was convicted at a hearing at Kirklees Magistrates Court last week of 13 offences of flytipping in locations in East End Park and Harehills over a two-week period between April 24 and May 6 this year. He was also charged with not having a waste carriers’ licence.

Leeds City Council’s serious environmental crime team (SECT) was alerted after reports of flytipping multiple times each day at an area of privately-owned land at Ellerby Lane in East End Park. A number of witnesses noted the vehicle involved as being distinctive due to it being somewhat unusual – a Nissan Micra towing a trailer, from which mainly household waste was being dumped.

Reports then followed of further flytipping at Bayswater Terrace in Harehills, with CCTV footage showing the same vehicle and trailer being used. The team’s investigations led them to a property where waste had been removed for cash as part of a waste removal business, and Seedo was identified as carrying out the work.

The team along with officers from West Yorkshire Police visited Seedo’s property on May 8 where his car was seized as part of the investigation. After pleading guilty in court last week, 29-year-old Seedo was handed a 10-month prison sentence suspended for two years, given 300 hours unpaid work and had to pay £2100 to the private landowner concerned.

A Criminal Behaviour Order was also granted until May 31 2031, which means Seedo cannot collect, carry, transport or deposit waste: use any vehicle to carry, collect or deposit waste either as a driver or passenger and cannot advertise waste removal on social media or any other services. 

Members of the public played a key role in ensuring a successful prosecution by providing witness statements and video evidence, and the council wishes to praise all of those who did so and to encourage everyone to report such flytipping activities to help catch those responsible. The waste left at Ellerby Lane was the subject of a fire which West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service needed to attend to put out, further highlighting the dangers flytipping can cause.

Leeds City Council’s executive member for climate, energy, environment and green space, Councillor Mohammed Rafique said:

“This case and the sentence which has come with it shows that no matter what type of vehicle you use if you are flytipping in Leeds we will track you down, with our dedicated serious environmental crime team moving quickly to find those responsible.

“Members of the public played an invaluable role in this case through the evidence they provided, and we thank them all for helping us to quickly identify and successfully prosecute the perpetrator for his criminal and anti-social actions. Without such support it can often be difficult to take action against flytippers, so a case and outcome like this underlines the importance of us all working together to help stop these blights on our communities.

“And we would like to reinforce the message that if an individual or company says they can remove waste from your property but they cannot show they have an approved waste carrier licence, they are operating illegally so do not hire them.”

The Leeds Accredited Waste Carrier Scheme (LAWCS) launched last year helps residents know they are hiring an approved company to remove waste. If a company cannot prove they are accredited they should not be hired, with those who pay unlicensed illegal businesses to remove waste being at risk of a hefty fine themselves. To see the list of accredited businesses visit What is the Leeds Accredited Waste Carrier Scheme? | What is the Leeds Accredited Waste Carrier Scheme? | Leeds Directory

 ENDS

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