TWO women have been prosecuted in separate fly-tipping cases after rubbish was dumped on a road and in an alleyway.

Natalie Ballinger and Laura Handford, of Warrington and Widnes respectively, were both sentenced at Warrington Magistrates’ Court.

This is following investigations by Halton Borough Council into reports of fly-tipping in Widnes.

Ballinger, of Clapgates Crescent in Bewsey, was prosecuted following a report in October 2023 that soil, wood, green waste, cardboard packaging, bags and other items had been fly-tipped off Twyford Lane.

After a short investigation by the council, the 29-year-old was identified as a potential suspect in the case.

She attended the council offices for an interview on January 31 this year and advised the council that she had paid for someone to take waste away for her from her home address.

However, the defendant failed to make any checks or take any reasonable measures to ensure that her waste was passed to an authorised person, and her waste was subsequently fly-tipped on Twyford Lane.

Ballinger was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £200 for failing in her householder’s duty of care in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act.

The fixed penalty gave her the opportunity to discharge all liability to conviction for the offence, but she failed to pay the penalty, despite reminders from the council.

She pleaded guilty to the offence in court and was subsequently convicted, receiving a criminal record and £80 fine, as well as being ordered to pay £38 in court costs and a £32 statutory surcharge.

Handford was also prosecuted at Warrington Magistrates’ Court after bin bags, a suitcase, bike, clothes stand, old pieces of carpet and other items were left in the entry near her Belvoir Road home on July 4 last year.

During a council investigation, the 45-year-old was asked to provide information under caution to explain any involvement that she may have had with the waste being left there.

She failed to provide any information or make any contact with the council, leading to her being served with a notice to attend a recorded interview under caution at the council offices on December 8, 2023.

The notice put a legal obligation on Handford to attend, and any failure to do so without reasonable cause could lead to prosecution.

But she failed to attend, hindering the council investigation, and the case proceeded to court.

Handford did not attend court, but she did submit a guilty plea by mail and the case was heard in her absence.

She was subsequently convicted of the offence, receiving a criminal record and a £40 fine, with her court costs set at £250 and surcharge at £100.