Two fly‑tippers fined over £2,000 as council enforces ‘Crime – Not to Care’
Two residents found to have illegally dumped waste, have been prosecuted by City of York Council.
On Thursday 22 January, York Magistrates Court ordered them to pay a total £2,190 in fines, costs, and surcharges, as the council continues to deliver its ‘Crime – Not to Care’ campaign and protect neighbourhoods from environmental harm.
Jake Calam, aged 28 of Foxwood Lane, York, pleaded guilty to illegally dumping waste on a public footpath between July 2024 and July 2025, despite repeated complaints from residents and interventions by council officers.
Waste blocking the pavement in Foxwood
York Magistrates fined Mr Calam £300, and ordered him to pay a £120 victim surcharge and £750 in prosecution costs, totalling £1,170.
Lianne Hodkinson, aged 43 formerly of Riverside Gardens, Nether Poppleton, was convicted after her household waste was fly‑tipped on land off Clifton Park Avenue, Rawcliffe in November 2024, and was traced to her address.
Ms Hodkinson admitted paying an unlicensed waste carrier who she found on social media to remove her waste, without checking they were authorised to do so. They took her waste and dumped it. She remained legally responsible for her waste and for checking that she was using a licensed carrier.
York Magistrates fined her £300, and ordered her to pay a £120 victim surcharge and £600 in prosecution costs, totalling £1,020.
Waste dumped in Rawcliffe
Cllr Jenny Kent, Executive Member for Environment at City of York Council, said: “Keeping York clean should be a key priority for us all, the council, residents, businesses and visitors. Fly‑tipping undermines that goal by blighting our neighbourhoods and wasting people’s Council Tax by diverting spend away from improvements to our public spaces.
“Through our ‘Crime – Not to Care’ campaign, we make it clear that fly-tipping is not a minor offence. Whether someone dumps waste themselves or pays an unlicensed carrier, both actions can lead to prosecution, fines and a criminal record.
“As these cases show, it’s essential that residents check that waste carriers are properly licensed, and that those carriers dispose of waste lawfully. These two prosecutions show that we will take robust enforcement action where people fail to do so”.
- Please dispose of waste legally. Use your recycling boxes, waste bins, our household waste recycling centres at Hazel Court HWRCand the Towthorpe/Strensall HWRC, or give good quality unwanted items to charity or recycling shops. You could also book a collection of large items for yourself or together with neighbours.
- You can check if a waste carrier is licensed here.
- Please report fly‑tipping to help ensure we can all have cleaner, safer neighbourhoods.