A fly-tipper who dumped waste from a vehicle has been ordered to pay more than £600.

The case was heard at Ealing Magistrates’ Court on 6 March 2026, and Awil Dahir pleaded guilty to fly-tipping offences under section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Dahir ended up in court after Ealing Council took legal action when he was spotted on CCTV committing the offence. The council has been using more CCTV to tackle fly-tipping.

Footage showed Dahir stopping his car before dumping boxes on to the pavement.

Dahir later claimed he had left the waste because he was worried his car might be struck by a bus. However, the CCTV footage showed him returning to the car and remaining there for around 10 minutes after the waste had been dumped.

Although Dahir does not live in the borough, council officers still managed to trace him to an address in south west London.

The council issued a fixed penalty notice (FPN) to Dahir, but it was not paid, so the council prosecuted him.

Before a FPN is issued, the council writes to the alleged fly-tipper asking if they can explain why their waste might have been found fly-tipped. Where there is no response, or evidence suggests they have fly-tipped, the FPN is sent.

At court, Dahir attended in person and pleaded guilty at the first opportunity, for which he was given credit in the sentencing by the magistrates. He explained his circumstances and the magistrates took his mitigation and was ordered to pay a total of £616.

’We will continue to take firm action’

Joe Blanchard, the council’s assistant director for environment and community protection, said: “Fly‑tipping is a selfish and illegal act that damages our towns and places an unfair burden on residents and council services.

“This case shows how seriously we take environmental crime and how CCTV is helping us identify and prosecute offenders, even when they do not live in the borough. We will continue to take firm action to protect the borough’s streets and open spaces.”

You can report a fly-tip, or fly-tipper, on the Love Clean Streets app, or the council’s website.