Gareth Corkhill (26) a father of four from Whitehaven in Cumbria has been left with a criminal record after overfilling his wheelie bin by 4 inches.

His local council issued him with a £110 fixed penalty notice after staff photographed his raised bin lid being raised by 4 inches.

Mr. Corkhill was informed by a neighbour that someone had photographed his bin. "Two days later two enforcement officers turn up on my doorstep wearing stab vests, read my rights and then issued me with an on-the-spot fine", said Mr. Corkhill.

Mr. Corkhill refused to pay and Copeland Council took the matter to court where magistrates added a further £115 to the fixed penalty, in his absence.

In a statement the council said: "Copeland Borough Council will continue to crack down on the problem of overflowing bins, which cause problems for local residents and in the battle to reduce waste. 

Editorial

Put Copeland Council, their councillors and CEO out with the rubbish. Time to re-cycle them.

The fact that the council failed to consider the waste produced by family homes when they went from weekly to fortnightly collections, is a failure in their public duty. If the council were claiming that Mr. Corkhill was not using the bins or using his recycle bin, then they might have a case, but they seem to accept that not only is his bin full but that his recycle bins are full. In such circumstances the council seem to be dictating to its residents what they can and can't do, which is beyond their legal remit and on the BBC news Keith Parker from Copeland Council indicated the council were unrepentant.

Our advice to residents in the Copeland area and to other areas in the UK & Ireland where councils, their councillors and their executives step over the line, is to put them out with the rubbish. The public should identify the offenders and remind them who is the boss and work together to remove them.

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