Suspended prison sentence handed to Folkestone flytipper

Household waste left in Dover Road by Marian Mitroi and Marian Miturca Photo: Folkestone and Hythe District Council

Five Folkestone residents have appeared in court after dumping household furniture, including sofas, beds and a mattress, in the Dover Road area of the town.

At Folkestone Magistrates’ Court on Monday (15 November), Folkestone resident, Deanjohn Coyle-Curran, was fined a total of £534 for leaving a sofa in Dover Road in April.

The fly-tipping of a bed and mattress in Mill Bay in May cost another Folkestone resident a total of £675.

Two co-defendants Marian Mitroi and Marian Miturca, both from Folketone were each fined a total of £638 for dumping household waste, including a mattress and carpets, in Dover Road, also in May.

On Wednesday (17 November), Jason Stowers, was given an eight-week prison sentence suspended for 18 months for fly-tipping a sofa in Dover Road in August 2020.

In passing sentence, District Judge Barron considered Mr Stowers’ offending history for like offences and in addition to the suspended prison sentence, ordered him to complete 30 days’ rehabilitation activity and to pay £180 costs.

Cllr Stuart Peall, F&HDC’s Cabinet Member for Enforcement, Regulatory Services, Waste & Building control, said: “Residents quite rightly complain when furniture appears to be dumped on the pavement and in areas near their homes. It spoils their neighbourhood and causes a hazard if it blocks the pavement.

“As a council we shall continue to do all that we can to ensure that the district is kept clean and tidy and an area where residents enjoy living – not one blighted by the unsightly mess of dumped rubbish.

“In these five cases our environmental officers have worked with our legal team to secure prosecutions and we hope that the outcomes will make others think again before leaving unwanted furniture in the street.”

Anti-social behaviour, including fly-tipping incidents for clearing up and investigation, can be reported here https://www.folkestone-hythe.gov.uk/form/fly-tipping.

Bulky waste can be disposed of using the collection service on MyAccount, or at Kent County Council’s household waste recycling centres.”