Landlord prosecuted and fly-tippers fined

Fly-tipper Mohammed Yasin of Calderbrook Way, Oldham, pleaded guilty after waste was found on Kent Street in Oldham on June 14 last year

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OLDHAM Council has prosecuted a series of people who continue to flout laws and blight the borough.

They include a landlord who left a gran living in a dilapidated house full of hazards.

The council received a complaint in May 2016, from the grandmother who rented a house on Edge Lane, Royton.

Officers visited the property, which was also occupied by the lady's two sons, daughter and grand-daughter, and found damp, loose flashings, open-jointed brickwork, a broken toilet flush, loose wash-hand basin tap, poor cold water pressure at the sink and a poorly located cooker control.

Under the Housing Act an Improvement Notice was served on September 13, requiring the work be started within 28 days and completed by November 8, 2016.

Inspectors found that the toilet had been repaired - but a further improvement notice was issued as it was still leaking. Apart from repairing the water pressure, the rest of the works were left outstanding.

A court summons was issued for the house owner, Laura Howarth of Wallingford, Oxfordshire to appear in court for failing to comply with the requirements of a housing improvement notice contrary to s30 Housing Act 2004.

She pleaded guilty to the offence and was fined £5,000 with a £170 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £689.50 costs.

In separate cases, Lisa Reid (37) of Welcome Parade, Oldham, pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after her waste was found dumped on Cherry Avenue on October 17, 2016. She was given a 12-month conditional discharge with £30 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £564 costs.

On November 24 last year, Leanne Butler (28), of Albert Street, Chadderton, left waste at the back of her house and was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), which she failed to pay. She was found guilty in her absence and fined £220 with a £30 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £300 costs.

Zabara Mihai (31), of Somerset Street, Oldham dumped waste on his own street on November 11 last year. He was issued with an FPN which he failed to pay. He was found guilty in his absence and fined £220 with a £30 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £300 costs.

Fly-tipper Mohammed Yasin (49), of Calderbrook Way, Oldham, pleaded guilty after waste was found on Kent Street in Oldham on June 14, 2016.

He was fined £200 with a £30 victim surcharge and ordered to pay £450 costs.

The above cases were all heard at Tameside Magistrates' Court on April 27.

At a hearing on April 19, Graham Barbour, of Hathershaw Lane, Oldham, was found guilty of breaching an abatement notice served on him in relation to noise from barking dogs.

Environmental Health officers originally served the notice after obtaining noise recordings of his dogs barking. Barbour did nothing to stop the dogs barking. He was fined £120 with £150 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Helen Lockwood, Executive Director Economy, Skills and Neighbourhoods, said: "We need residents to continue to work with us on this. If you see anyone breaking environmental laws, please report it to us."