Bradford fly-tipper who “showed a flagrant disregard of the law” ordered to do unpaid work
It comes after waste was dumped and set on fire off Tong Street last summer
A MAN who “showed a flagrant disregard of the law” by dumping waste on a Bradford street before burning it has been ordered to carry out unpaid work.
Reece Dulay was sentenced at Bradford Magistrates Court on Friday after pleading guilty to three fly-tipping related charges.
He was given a community order after Magistrates were told he was “deeply remorseful” for what he had done.
The charges relate to the illegal dumping of garden waste, plastics, car parts, scrap metals, wood and unwanted household items on of Law Street, off Tong Street, last Summer.
Dulay had also burned some of the waste in a skip on the site.
In June Dulay, 32, of Sutton Crescent, pleaded guilty to depositing without an environmental permit controlled / extractive waste, being an unregistered carrier transporting controlled waste in course of business / otherwise with view to profit and failing to take measures when managing extractive waste to prevent contraventions and the escape of waste.
At that hearing the Court was told he advertised waste removal services on Facebook – saying there was “no job too big” for him.
Waseem Raja, prosecuting the case on behalf of Bradford Council, said officers had received reports of fly tipping on the site in June 2024, and inspected the area on July 1.
After scouring CCTV, they found footage of a fully loaded Ford Transit vehicle travelling to the site several times and unloading waste. Mr Raja said: “The individual involved was the defendant. He was seen removing waste from the vehicle and transferring it into a skip. He also set it on fire.”
Dulay was sent numerous letters warning him about the tipping and failing to provide a waste transfer notice.
Mr Raja added: “He was invited to attend an interview with Environmental Enforcement officers to explain why he was depositing waste on this site and setting it on fire.”
The court was told he failed to attend that interview, and later failed to respond to written questions.
When the Council checked with police, they found the vehicle was registered to an owner in Hull – although Dulay was the only person insured to drive it.
Earlier this year the vehicle was found filled with waste and abandoned on Factory Street. It was seized, and paperwork linking the vehicle to Dulay was found inside.
Mr Raja said the case had cost the Authority £2,673 in clean up costs and to prosecute.
He added: “This was a deliberate act, he flagrantly disregarded the law.”
Mr Haworth, defending, said Dulay suffers from mental health issues, including anxiety and depression. He added: “The length of time it has taken to come to sentencing has exacerbated is struggles.”
He said Dulay had also suffered from lung complaints, but had recently secured a job at a sign manufacturer, with his bosses describing him as a “vital member of the team.”
He told the court that Dulay had used the site to sort through non-toxic waste, burning some of it. He said: “The skips didn’t belong to him – people were already tipping waste on the site before he did.
“His intention was not to create an illegal waste site, but to dispose of waste in a manner he felt was done responsibly. He now realises this work can’t be done without a correct licence.
“He is genuinely remorseful – he has never tried to avoid accountability. This wasn’t calculated – he made no attempt to hide his identity. He does now realise the seriousness of his actions.”
Magistrates were told that Dulay had removed all the waste from the site – even waste that he had not dumped himself.
Explaining how the site was a fly tipping hot spot, Mr Haworth said: “People had continued fly tipping at this location after he pleaded guilty these charges. Nearby businesses have been throwing waste over the fence there. My client has no control over what these people do.”
He argued that Dulay was not the one who abandoned the vehicle.
And Mr Haworth added: “He is keen to put this matter behind him. The case has been in the local paper which has caused him a great deal of embarrassment.”
Magistrates said Dulay’s crimes had been deliberate, but they felt he was remorseful.
He was given a 12-month community order which will include 60 hours unpaid work.
He will have to pay £1,500 costs and a £114 surcharge.
And he was issued with a criminal behaviour order preventing him from being involved in any waste business or waste removals for three years.