Leeds women prosecuted for ignoring community protection notices

In two separate prosecutions this week, two Leeds women have been fined for failing to remove rubbish from their gardens.

Jacqueline Honey, Lupton Avenue and Laura Massey, Copperfield Crescent, both failed to appear before magistrates on Monday 1 February but both were fined £220 and each must pay £22 victim surcharges and costs of £287.

The council received complaints about rubbish accumulating in Honey’s garden in April 2015. On inspection, officers found household waste, a bike and clothes left piled against the property.

Complaints were also received about furniture left in Massey’s garden. Local enforcement officers discovered a sofa and cushions at the garden fence.

Honey and Massey were both asked to remove the rubbish and advised on how that could be done, but failed to.

Despite further written warnings and advice the rubbish remained in place; so local enforcement officers stepped in and issued both women with community protection notices under the ASB Crime and Policing Act 2014.

The notices legally required Honey and Massey to deal with the waste properly.

Despite this, action still wasn’t taken so both Honey and Massey were issued £100 fixed penalty notices. These weren’t paid and rubbish not removed so both women were prosecuted.

The council removed the rubbish and the costs must be paid by Honey and Massey in addition to those imposed by the court.

Councillor Mark Dobson, executive member for environmental protection and community safety, said:

“We can’t turn a blind eye to rubbish piling up in someone’s garden as it doesn’t take much for things to spiral out of control.

“Community protection notices are a handy tool our local enforcement staff can use to make sure that the inconsiderate actions of a minority aren’t having a detrimental impact on their neighbours or community.

“Both of these individuals were given a number of opportunities to remove the waste but chose to ignore this as well as the resultant fixed penalty notices. In the end we had to clean up their gardens to support the wider community. They are now facing bills of well over £500 each and a criminal record.

“If approached by our local enforcement staff, I do hope people will take on board the benefit of their advice or expertise or face the legal consequences when they fail to take reasonable action.”