Restaurant boss Abimbola Sonde
A restaurant boss, Abimbola Sonde, caught on camera dumping five big bags of curry and rice has been hit with a £1,000 fine.
Abimbola Sonde was seen by council CCTV operators driving into a street and waiting while a mystery male passenger got out and threw five black bin bags over a fence.
All were stuffed with the remains of rice and curry dishes from her business.
When Salford council officers went to the scene in Montford Street, Weaste, they found the rat and maggot-infested bags left close to houses and a timber yard containing thousands of tonnes of wood.
Magistrates told Sonde it was a 'very unpleasant' and 'deliberate offence' which risked sending a local sawmill up in flames as well as causing a nuisance to local residents.
Sonde, 31, owner of Crystal Lounge, Eccles New Road, Weaste, pleaded guilty at Manchester magistrates court to illegally dumping waste.
She was fined £1,065 and ordered to pay costs of £634.68 and a victim surcharge of £107.
Magistrates heard that Sonde and a male customer drove to the street and illegally dumped five bin bags of food waste and packaging at 10.30pm on Thursday, June 19.
The incident was caught on camera and Sonde traced by her car registration.
When found by council officials, two of the five bin bags had been ripped open by animals and a group of rats fled as they approached. Rats had gnawed through plastic cartons to get to food.
When interviewed by officials, Sonde said business was bad and she could not afford to pay for a trade waste collection contract.
She had been taking rubbish to the tip, pretending it was her own domestic waste, but a local businessman and one of her customers told her it was okay to dump the bags on the land, telling her the council would collect it.
She told officials: “I’m owning up to it. Honestly, there’s no argument. I know I’ve done something really bad from everything you’ve said so far.”
She added that she was 'very, genuinely sorry' and apologised to local residents, saying it would never happen again.
Deputy City Mayor, Coun David Lancaster, said: “There is no excuse for anyone - business owner or resident - to dump rubbish in our streets. I hope it sends a clear message that fly-tipping will not be tolerated in Salford.”
Manchester Evening News
