In three prosecutions brought by Cambridge City Council, offenders have been found guilty and ordered to pay fines for environmental offences including flytipping, breaching household waste duty of care, and failing to microchip a dog.

Naomi Douglas Hall of St Bedes Crescent was ordered to pay a total of £932 by Cambridge Magistrates for breaching a household waste duty of care by not taking reasonable steps to ensure waste was managed and disposed of correctly.

The resident was issued with a fixed penalty notice as an alternative to prosecution. When they failed to pay the fine, the matter was referred to the court and they were prosecuted for the original offence.

Hall failed to attend court and did not enter a plea. The resident was found guilty in their absence. As a result, Hall was ordered to pay a fine of £400, as well as £366 costs and a £160 victim surcharge.

Sanice Orourke of Ekin Road was ordered to pay a total charge of £975 by Cambridge Magistrates, for flytipping household waste at Ekin Road. The waste consisted of a large amount of cardboard and polystyrene dumped on the public highway at Ekin Road.

A fixed penalty notice was issued as an alternative to prosecution. When the resident failed to pay the fine, the matter was referred to the court and they were prosecuted for the original offence.

Orourke failed to attend court, did not enter a plea and was found guilty in their absence. As a result, Orourke was ordered to pay a fine of £400, as well as £415 costs and a £160 victim surcharge.

Rebecca Thompson of Winsford was ordered to pay a total charge of £508 by Cambridge Magistrates, for failing to have up to date microchipping details for a dog owned by them.

Thompson was issued with a formal notice requiring them to update the microchipping database with the correct owner details. When they failed to comply with the notice, the matter was referred to the court and they were prosecuted.

Thompson failed to attend court and did not enter a plea. They were found guilty in their absence. As a result, Thompson was ordered to pay a fine of £220, as well as £200 costs and a £88 victim surcharge.

These cases were heard on Friday 21 June 2024.

Cllr Rosy Moore, Executive Councillor for Climate Action and Environment, said: “It is disappointing to see the number of people that have been prosecuted recently for environmental crimes.

“Environmental crimes, including fly tipping, show a blatant disregard for the environment and are crimes that we take very seriously.

“These crimes can have a big impact on our wildlife and local communities, and it attracts antisocial behaviour. They also cost the council money – for example, the cost of cleaning up fly tips. This is money that could be better spent on other services if we all followed through with the simple act of disposing of our litter responsibly.

“The council follows the four 'Es': engage, explain, encourage and then when necessary, enforce. All of these residents were offered alternatives to prosecution but did not accept them which is why they then ended up in court.

“Everyone is responsible for their actions and for helping to keep the city clean, regardless of whether they are a resident or a visitor so that we can all enjoy the city.”