Trader who dumped waste in a countryside lane ordered to pay more than £2000
02 June 2025
A man has been ordered to pay more than £2,000 in costs and fines and sentenced to a 12 month Community Order after dumping waste illegally in a countryside lane in West Northants.
On Tuesday 7 May 2024, Mr Darren Clifford Lyons, trading as A-Star Waste Northamptonshire, drove his van into Banbury Lane in Northampton, dumped waste from the vehicle and drove off.
The offender was a licensed waste carrier, which gave rise to the concern that Mr Lyons would still be offering his services and illegally dumping the waste he collected. The offence was deemed serious enough by WNCs Environmental Crime Team to prosecute, instead of issuing a fixed penalty notice.
Mr Lyons of Hever Close, Northampton pleaded guilty on Tuesday 20 May 2025 at Wellingborough Magistrates Court, and was convicted under s33(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 West Northamptonshire Council was represented by Mr Scott Howkins of WNCs in house Legal Services Team.
He was sentenced to a 12 month Community Order under which he will be supervised by the Probation Service for the duration of his sentence. The Community Order includes 30 rehabilitation days. An order to pay £2,033.36 in fines and the clean-up costs of the waste was also issued against Mr Lyons. The Community Order is the first of its kind issued by the Court in respect of offences investigated by WNCs Environmental Crime Team and reflects the seriousness of the offence.
“We will not tolerate fly-tipping within our communities, and we know how important it is to our residents that offenders are held to account for environmental crimes such as this.Cllr Nigel Stansfield, WNC’s Cabinet Member for Environment, Recycling and Waste
“This case highlights the importance of householders checking with waste carriers and asking questions of how and where they will be disposing of their waste. We also urge people to get a receipt from the contractor which details what action they will be taking with your waste.”