A woman has been ordered to pay more than £500 after fly-tipping in North Tyneside.
Donna Thompson, of Tennyson Avenue, North Shields, has to pay a total of £541.50 in fines and costs for dumping a sofa in a back lane.
The 46-year-old admitted to the offence after North Tyneside Council’s community protection team uncovered her address on other rubbish dumped nearby.
But after she failed to pay a £50 fixed penalty notice she was issued with at the time, the council took legal action.
And on Friday (March 2), North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court handed her the fine.
Speaking about the action, Richie Mitchell, manager of the community protection team, said: “This conviction reminds people that we take issues like this extremely seriously and we will take positive action against those who blight our neighbourhoods.
“Residents shouldn’t have to put up with fly-tipping in their own communities and we would encourage those who witness these incidents to contact us and help us to put a stop to it.
“We would also urge anyone with large items of furniture to arrange a bulky waste collection, either through the council or use a licensed waste contractor.”
Keep up to date with the work of the community protection team by following its Twitter account, @NTC_ASBTEAM.
To report any issues of fly-tipping or to arrange a bulky waste collection click here or call 0345 2000 103.
ENDS