Neath man fined over fly-tipping in Port Talbot after ignoring £400 penalty

Shaun Robert James, 36, of Woodland Road, Crynant, admitted illegally depositing controlled waste at Edward Street, Port Talbot when he appeared before Swansea Magistrates Court on Thursday 13 November.

The court heard that Neath Port Talbot Council’s Waste Enforcement Officers were alerted to the fly-tipping on 17 December last year. Following an investigation, officers found evidence linking the dumped items — including a bread basket and a container of motor oil — to Mr James.

After initially denying responsibility over the phone, Mr James later attended a formal interview at Neath Civic Centre where he admitted dumping the waste.

He was issued with a £400 FPN, with the option to pay a reduced amount of £280 if settled within 10 days. However, after failing to pay, the case was referred for prosecution.

Magistrates fined Mr James £120 and ordered him to pay £556.12 in prosecution costs, plus a £48 victim surcharge — bringing the total to £724.12.

Council statement

Cllr Scott Jones, Cabinet Member for Streetscene, said:

“Fly-tipping is an environmental crime which blights our communities and yet again our Waste Enforcement Officers have worked hard to bring a prosecution.

“The council has the power to issue FPNs for these offences but as this case shows we will prosecute if the FPN is not paid. Hopefully this case will send a clear message to people of the consequences of illegally depositing waste in Neath Port Talbot.”

#crynant #fixedPenaltyNotice #flyTipping2 #flytipping #neathPortTalbotCouncil #portTalbot

Council crushes Llanelli man’s truck after dumping household debris in two Briton Ferry lanes

Richard Darren Barwell, 55, of Ropewalk Road, pleaded guilty at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on 30 October 2025 to two offences under Section 33(5) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The court heard that on 10 August 2024, large quantities of household debris — including timber, bathroom fittings, carpets, and building rubble — were found dumped in a lane between Gower Street and Tucker Street, and again later that day at Wharf Road.

Among the items were internal doors, a cream bath and sink with a seashell-like pattern, bags of rubble, loft insulation, a broken toilet, and a Carmarthenshire Council recycling bag.

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Waste Enforcement Officers traced the fly-tipping to a black Ford tipper van seen at both locations. Mr Barwell was found to be insured to drive the vehicle, making him liable under the law even if he did not personally deposit the waste.

The van was seized and later crushed after being deemed unfit for the road.

Mr Barwell was ordered to pay £1,516 in costs, a £114 victim surcharge, and complete 100 hours of unpaid work.

“A serious environmental crime”

Councillor Scott Jones, Cabinet Member for Streetscene, praised the council’s enforcement team:

“This kind of fly-tipping is a serious environmental crime and can be very distressing for the communities where waste is unlawfully deposited. I want to praise our Waste Enforcement Officers who worked hard to bring about this prosecution. It sends out the message that those who fly-tip, and in so doing damage our communities, will be brought before the courts.”

#britonFerry #cllrScottJones #flyTipping2 #flytipping #flytippingProsecution #llanelli #neathPortTalbotCouncil #wasteEnforcement