Elderly Reading Woman Faces Court Threat Over Recycling Incident
A grandmother from Reading has been threatened with a criminal conviction if she fails to pay a £600 fine for allegedly fly-tipping a single cardboard box, in a case that has left her family distraught and concerned for her wellbeing.
The Incident at Milestone Centre
Caroline Wright, an 83-year-old former nurse and grandmother-of-four from Reading, believed she had properly disposed of her rubbish at the local recycling drop-off point outside the Milestone Centre. According to her daughter Catherine, 50, Caroline simply wanted to recycle responsibly and thought she had placed all items, including a cardboard box from a new egg-poaching pan, into the appropriate bins.
Days later, however, Caroline received correspondence from environmental enforcement contractor Kingdom, acting on behalf of Reading Borough Council. The letter included photographs showing a worker holding up a box bearing Caroline's address, alongside images of overflowing bins in the background. The communication stated she could face criminal prosecution for fly-tipping unless she paid the substantial penalty.
Family's Distress and Health Concerns
Catherine has described the profound impact this situation has had on her mother's physical and mental health. 'My mum keeps saying she doesn't want to go on any more,' Catherine revealed. 'She's just staring at walls, crying. She's not eating. Her health has really declined since this all happened.'
The family initially believed the letter might be a scam, but a second communication arrived a month later confirming the seriousness of the situation. When Catherine contacted Reading Council, she was directed to Kingdom, the contracted enforcement agency. 'I rang them and I explained - I was in tears on the phone, saying this is really upsetting my mum, because she doesn't know what to do,' she recounted.
Council's Stance and Family's Response
According to Catherine, Kingdom informed her that the case would only be dropped if she could provide medical evidence excusing her mother's alleged fly-tipping - documentation she says she cannot obtain. In January, Caroline received another final demand letter bearing Reading Council branding, again threatening court action.
'They said "you have failed to respond", which isn't true,' Catherine stated. 'My brother even went into the council to ask what we could do, and the only thing they told him was to ring Reading Council support, which we've done. It keeps going round and round in circles.'
Catherine has emphasised her mother's character and history, noting: 'She moved here 57 years ago, she's never done anything wrong. She's committed no crimes. I just think it's awful that they're targeting this poor woman for a single box at her age.'
Financial Strain and Fundraising Efforts
The financial burden of the £600 fine has added to the family's distress. 'She can't afford the money,' Catherine explained. 'She keeps saying "they're going to put me in prison". It's just shocking, really. We don't want to go to court, but we have no choice - they've said they're going to take us to court.'
In response to this financial pressure, Catherine has launched a GoFundMe appeal to raise the necessary funds to pay her mother's fine, hoping to resolve the matter without further legal proceedings.
Official Statements from Authorities
A Reading Council spokesperson stated: 'Residents have told the Council that tackling litter and fly tipping is one of their top priorities, and we have a duty to all residents to investigate any incidences of fly tipping.'
The spokesperson continued: 'After a box of waste was found at the site in October last year, further information was requested from Ms Wright but no response was received within the 30-day period. Enforcement action only took place after that period, in the form of a fixed penalty notice.'
Regarding the family's claims of extenuating circumstances, the council added: 'Further to the claim from the family that there are extenuating circumstances for non-payment of the fine, Kingdom requested evidence to allow them to close the case. Nothing has yet been received. We remain fully open to dialogue with Ms Wright and welcome her assistance to the investigation which we hope will allow them to close the case with no further action required.'
Kingdom, the enforcement contractor, echoed this position in their statement: 'Kingdom LAS are working closely with Reading Borough Council to help keep the streets clean and clear of rubbish. Our officers work through education and enforcement to assist residents in understanding their responsibilities and we are always open to dialogue with members of the public.'
The company explained their process: 'In October last year, our officers working on behalf of Reading Borough Council identified a fly-tipped box of waste, which led to officers requesting further information from Ms Wright, to which no response was received within the 30 day period. Following that, under Section 34ZA of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, a Fixed Penalty Notice was issued.'
Kingdom concluded: 'Further to the claim from the family that there are extenuating circumstances for non-payment of the fine, we requested evidence to allow us to close the case. Nothing has yet been received. We remain fully open to dialogue with Ms Wright and hope we will be able to come to a resolution in this case.'
The situation continues to develop as the family seeks a resolution that acknowledges Caroline's circumstances while addressing the council's environmental enforcement responsibilities.
