Three people from County Durham have been fined after waste was found dumped in an allotment and an alley. After being found guilty of separate offences in court, Thomas Tyers, Jennifer Jordan Moore, and Lilly Hogg are now facing large bills.
Construction waste dumped on allotment
In the first case, rubbish was found on the Hambleton Way Allotments in Chilton, containing construction waste including tiles and a wheelbarrow. After a report in November 2025, council enquiries identified Thomas Tyers, 36, of Pennine Way, as responsible.
Tyers was issued a warning, contacted the council, and given extra time to clear the waste, but failed to do so and was served a Community Protection Notice. Ignoring this, he cited 'poor weather' as the reason for not removing the rubbish, and pleaded guilty at Peterlee Magistrates' Court.
He was fined £100, ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £40, and £2,120 in costs, totalling £2,270. With monthly instalments of £100 set for paying costs, Tyers now has 28 days to set up payment.
Alley fly-tip in Bishop Auckland
In the second incident, two women were found to have dumped items in an alley outside their home in Bishop Auckland. A neighbourhood warden spotted the fly-tip in an alley between Surtees Street and Princes Street, left next to a wheelie bin.
Among the waste, evidence linked it to Jennifer Jordan Moore, 33, and Lilly Hogg, 23, both of Surtees Street. A letter sent to the address asking them to contact the council was ignored, and a notice to attend an interview was also not responded to.
In the same court, which they failed to attend, it was heard that they failed to assist investigations, costing the local authority £782, and the case was proven guilty in their absence. They were jointly fined £220, ordered to pay a £88 victim surcharge, and £396 in costs, totalling £704 between them.
Council warning on waste disposal
Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: "There is no excuse for dumping waste and Tyer’s case shows just how seriously we take this type of behaviour.
"It is a major blight on our landscape and cleaning up construction waste like this can lead to a huge cost for the taxpayer. If you're asking someone to get rid of your waste, make sure they are a legitimate business, ask where they are taking it to, and make sure to get a receipt."
"There are many ways to dispose of waste correctly, and cases like these undercut legitimate traders. In Moore and Hogg’s case, we’d like to stress that every fly tip that we clear comes at a cost to the public and taxpayer.
"There are so many quick and simple ways to dispose of waste correctly, including the many household waste recycling centres across the county and the bulky waste collection service we offer. It takes no time at all and saves the council, and taxpayer, a lot of money."
