Tattooed Grantham man traced for fly-tipping near Sleaford

David Cant, 33 was a hard man for investigating officers at North Kesteven District Council to track down, a process made easier by a distinctive teardrop tattoo under his right eye.

When a summons was sent to his last known address in Hamilton Road, Grantham, he turned up and pleaded guilty to fly-tipping in July 2014, which earned him credit through a reduced fine of £480 imposed by Lincoln Magistrates’ Court on January 14.

With an order to pay the council’s legal, investigation and clean-up costs totalling £1,215.98 and a victim surcharge of £48, fly-tipping the waste cost him significantly more than the £80 he charged his unsuspecting customer.

While Cant is registered by the Environment Agency as a licenced waste carrier, he admitted depositing it without the necessary waste management licence needed to get rid of it.

The case highlights the need for everyone approached by someone offering to take waste away to check for the necessary documentation proving they are licenced by the local authority to do what they undertake – to collect, carry or dispose of waste.

Cant had been touting for businesses in and around Sleaford in July 2014. The garden and household waste and large plastic children’s toys the householder paid Cant to take away were dumped on July 29, 2014, along the Aisby to Aunsby Road.

The fly-tipped material included evidence of where it originated from, and the householder said a man calling himself David Cant offered to take it for a £80 fee. Cant left a piece of paper with his name, ‘Garden Clearance service’ and the same mobile number featured on his van, written on it. The householder also described the distinctive tattoo.

Councillor Richard Wright, NKDC executive board member with responsibility for environmental health, said: “The district council does not tolerate any fly-tipping, less so that which is done by people purporting to be bona-fide agents in whom householders feel they can place their trust, alongside their money, to ensure appropriate disposal of their waste.

“We take this kind of activity very seriously, and will always be robust in our actions against anyone who is caught doing so.”

“We take pride in our district and its beautiful countryside and seek to safeguard its communities. We want those living and visiting here to be able to appreciate its beauty – not have to view the blight a few people put up on it.”

During the year 2014/15, NKDC responded to almost 1,000 incidents of reported fly-tipping each year, spending nearly £75,000 on its investigation and removal.