Kirklees Together

The Warren brothers have been prosecuted for dumping waste in a fly-tipping hotspot.

Due to an increase in fly-tipping incidents on Grange Road, Batley, we installed covert cameras. These covered the area where most of the incidents occurred.

What happened?

Despite there being ‘no fly-tipping’ and ‘CCTV in operation’ signs in place, the cameras captured several fly-tipping incidents, which took place in September 2021. The two individuals responsible, the Warren brothers, attended Kirklees Magistrates Court on 26 June 2023.

In mid-September 2021, officers were called to a fly-tip on Grange Road, Batley. Once reviewed, the CCTV footage showed that over three consecutive days, 8-10 September, a white Scania Tipper truck with a full load of soil and hardcore reversed down Grange Road. The flatbed was then raised to deposit the contents on the road and surrounding area. The vehicle then drove away from the scene with an empty flatbed.

The vehicle involved in the fly-tipping offence was traced to Hetton Transport Ltd. Operating out of premises nearby at 226 Bradford Road. The sole director of Hetton Transport Ltd being James Matthew Warren.

Investigation and conviction

In court, Warren admitted that he was leasing the vehicle at the time of the offence but had sublet it to his brother William Warren and had no knowledge of the fly-tipping.

On further inspection, the CCTV overlooking Grange Road also contained similar footage of a red Scania Tipper truck on the 16 and 17 September 2021. The red truck was caught reversing down Grange Road, again with a full load of soil and hardcore. Again, the flatbed was raised to deposit the contents on the road and surrounding area. The vehicle then drove away from the scene with an empty flatbed.

Investigators traced the vehicle to W A Holding (Yorkshire) Ltd, operating out of the same premises at 226 Bradford Road. The sole director of W A Holding (Yorkshire) Ltd being William Andrew Warren.

Whilst officers were making enquiries into the company, they received a call from staff at JD Gym on Bradford Road. They reported two further fly-tipping incidents which were caught on their CCTV, involving the same red Scania on land behind the gym on the 28 and 30 September 2021.

The vehicle was subsequently seized by West Yorkshire police under section 34B of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

William Warren admitted that he leased the vehicle. However, he claimed that a rogue employee had committed the fly-tipping offences without his knowledge.

After a full-day trial hearing, the magistrates found the brothers guilty on all the counts of contravention of Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (fly-tipping) and for failing to provide waste transfer documents.

How much were they fined?

James Matthew Warren, 11/12/1987, of Moor Lane, Bradford, was found guilty and fined £1,096, with a £100 surcharge and £879 cost contribution. William Andrew Warren, 22/05/1989, of Troon Way, Wakefield, was found guilty and fined £1,107, with a £111 surcharge and £1,029 cost contribution.

W A Holdings Ltd and Hetton Transport Ltd were convicted, however, they received no separate penalty.

Councillor Masood Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

“In these cases, our covert cameras and cooperation from local businesses were the key to helping us successfully locate and prosecute those responsible. We try to place CCTV cameras at as many hotspots as possible, but our teams also rely on businesses and residents to be vigilant and help us to keep Kirklees clean.

Businesses have a duty to use the correct waste disposal methods, including completing waste transfer notes and checking that their waste carriers are registered. There are thousands of businesses in Kirklees who dispose of their waste responsibly, and for the few that think they are above the law, our teams will use everything in their power to track them down and make them pay.”

Find out more about responsible disposal on the council’s website https://www.kirklees.gov.uk/bulkywaste