Heaton fly-tipper dad and son caught red-handed

Oct 19 2010 by Sonia Sharma, The Journal

FATHER-and-son fly-tippers were caught on camera as they tried to dump tonnes of rubbish.

Walter Henderson and his son Keith drove up in a white flatbed van and threw wood, pipes and other waste in front of the old Ship Inn, in Gainers Terrace, Wallsend.

But their actions were being recorded on security cameras and the family fly-tippers were stopped by police before they could make their getaway.

Yesterday Henderson Snr, 46, and his 19-year-old son, both of Meldon Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle, appeared at North Tyneside Magistrates’ Court, where the CCTV footage was shown.

Henderson Snr pleaded guilty to two charges of fly-tipping and two of not having a waste carriers licence, while his son admitted an offence of fly-tipping.

North Tyneside Council removed three and a half tonnes of material from the site, although the pair denied being responsible for all the waste.

Council prosecutor Peter Rowbottom said that at 6.20pm on June 7, a white van was spotted on CCTV parked in front of the boarded-up Ship Inn. Three men were seen throwing rubbish to the ground before getting back into the vehicle and driving away towards Benton Way. Walter Henderson was driving the van.

Two days later, the same vehicle was caught on camera entering Gainers Terrace. The driver, Henderson Snr got out of the truck along with his son, and both were seen throwing wood and other waste on the ground.

The CCTV operator rang the police who arrived at the scene and stopped the van in Benton Way as it tried to leave.

Mr Rowbottom said: “The local authority found a large amount of fly-tipped material including wood, guttering, fascia boards, doors, carpet tiles, drain pipes, PVC material and waste generated from building work.

“It took the council two days and seven full pick-up loads to remove it.”