A MAN and woman are facing bills of more than £1,000 each after failing to provide information about a number of fly-tipping offences, which contained their details.

Jordan Rossall, 23 and Michelle Woodcock, 30, both of 227 Pall Mall, Chorley, are being fined after failing to answer questions about the dumping of household waste in Heath Charnock and Coppull, despite repeated requests for information.

In October 2018, several people had reported two incidents of fly-tipping to Chorley Council, which were investigated.

Cllr Alistair Morwood, who oversees the council’s environmental prosecution, said: “Both fly-tips were reported to Chorley Council around the same time and were subsequently investigated by our neighbourhood officers.

“The waste led us to Mr Rossall and Miss Woodcock who we requested information from that was relevant to the investigation. 

“They failed to respond to any requests for information, which is an offence under the Environment Act.

“While both were not charged with fly tipping, the dumped waste had a detrimental impact on two areas in the borough, so it is vitally important that people cooperate with the council and provide any information.

“If you see anyone committing a fly-tipping offence or spot rubbish that’s been dumped then please contact Chorley Council to report it.”

On 8 October 2018, a council officer attended a location near the M61 motorway bridge on Back Lane, Heath Charnock in response to several complaints of a fly-tip.

The officer found a cream sofa and armchair, a blue and white divan bed base, a blue suitcase, a roll of orange fabric, a black DVD player and several bags of household waste tipped against the stone retaining wall, adjoining the bridge.

In the bags there were various items of correspondence addressed to Mr Rossall, Miss Woodcock and a relative of Miss Woodcock.

Separately around that time another council officer had investigated a fly-tip of household waste at Sunny Brow, Coppull, which contained correspondence relating to the same address on Pall Mall.

On 10 October 2018, Miss Woodcock and Mr Rossall were invited by the council to attend an interview under caution. After they failed to attend a further invitation was sent. Again, neither defendant attended.

The council therefore served Miss Woodcock and Mr Rossall with separate notices under Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 requiring them to provide information and sign a declaration as to the truth of the information. However, no reply was received from either of them.

“While we are investigating incidents of fly-tipping, we may require people to provide information that may be relevant to the investigation and this case highlights the importance of complying with those requests,” added Coun Morwood.

Both were subsequently found guilty in the absence of a plea at Preston Magistrates’ Court of failure to respond to a notice served under the Environment Act 1995.  They were each fined £660, plus council costs of £294.50 and a victim surcharge of £66.