Luton Borough Council

09/11/2023 - Luton's War on Waste - fly-tipper caught and prosecuted

A Luton resident was recently fined £1,800 by Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates Court following a hearing for fly-tipping.

Following an investigation of waste discovered by neighbourhood enforcement officers from Luton Council, evidence was found linking Karol Matyskiewicz, of Russell Street Luton, to the incident. Despite attempts by the council to engage with Mr. Matyskiewicz he failed to respond, leading to the issuance of a fixed penalty notice that remained unpaid. Consequently, the case was escalated for prosecution, and on 23 June 2023, he failed to appear in court, resulting in the issuance of a Failure to Appear warrant.

Upon finally appearing in court, Mr Matyskiewicz pleaded guilty to the charges brought against him. He expressed remorse and offered a sincere apology, indicating that he had learned a valuable lesson from the experience. The £1,800 fine included a £250 contribution towards costs and a victim surcharge payment.

Councillor Tom Shaw, portfolio holder for environmental enforcement at Luton Council said, “This prosecution demonstrates that we take environmental protection seriously and will take action against those who fail to follow the correct procedures for waste disposal.

“We have a zero-tolerance attitude towards any instance of fly-tipping because nobody wants to live in a town which is dirty and unpleasant. We have always taken it seriously but our recent declaration of a War on Waste shows we have had enough of inconsiderate people who are ruining our town”.

On 31 October, two further individuals who were wanted on warrant for failing to appear were arrested and presented before the court for fly-tipping offences dating back to July 2022. This case has been adjourned until the 14 November 2023.

The council posts instances of fly-tipping on its website in an effort to track down the offenders. Residents are invited to help identify fly-tipping offenders and those wanted on warrant and Mr Matyskiewicz was on this list. The details can be found by visiting the council’s Wall of Shame

Fly-tipping can be reported to the council anonymously online.

To check if an individual or business is licensed to carry and transfer waste please check the Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs register of waste carriers, brokers and dealers.