A Croydon fly-tipper has been ordered to pay up after his crime was reported on Facebook.
Amir Ben Malik, of Kidderminster Road, Broad Green, yesterday confessed to the crime in Croydon Magistrates’ Court.
Malik has been ordered to pay a £110 fine along with costs of £200 and a £20 victim surcharge by May 1.
Councillor Tony Newman, leader of the council, said: “This man went along to a residential street thinking that he’d be able to commit his crime unnoticed under cover of the night, but he was wrong, and he now has a criminal record.
“Thanks to the power of social media, which so often gets a bad press, many people, and eventually his employer, learned of what he’d done and he was made to account for his horribly antisocial act.”
He was caught in Kemp Gardens, Broad Green, dumping furniture from his BMS Transport company van.
Malik claimed to have been acting on behalf of another man before altering his story and admitting his offence.
He once more changed his story, claiming to have ordered a bulky waste collection from Croydon Council after taking the rubbish home, but this was revealed to be untrue.
Councillor Newman added: “This is a great example of the need for residents to speak up if they see anything like this going on.
“If the resident in this case hadn’t acted, Malik would have got away with his crime, leaving Croydon council taxpayers to pick up the tab for clearing his mess.
“Other would-be fly-tippers should take note, and be aware that the council will prosecute. They must realise that they shouldn’t mess with Croydon.”
Croydon Council is tackling fly-tipping through the Don’t Mess With Croydon campaign.
Incidents of fly-tipping can be reported via the council’s dedicated fly-tipping hotline on 020 8604 7000, the My Croydon smartphone app or emailing [email protected]
Visit www.croydon.gov.uk/environment/do for more information.
Picture courtesy of Google Maps, with thanks
