FOUR flytippers have been hauled before the courts after months on the run.

Last month, Bolton Council issued a stark warning to a number of offenders who ignored multiple court summons that they risked arrest or even a night in the cells if they didn't come forward.

Now, four defendants have racked up a combined £3,700 in fines and charges after appearing at Bolton Magistrates' Court.

Among them was Karen Bye, of St Matthews Terrace, who failed to pay a £80 fixed penalty notice for dumping rubbish bags in a public street in January 2018.

After avoiding the law for over a year, Bye appeared in court under warrant where she was handed a twelve-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £200 in costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

For eight months, Waqar Khan, of Brian Road in Farnworth, failed to attend court to face charges over two large scale flytips that were discovered in July and August 2018.

When interviewed by council officers, he admitted handing bags full of building waste to a third party but was unable to provide any further details.

Khan appeared in court under warrant last month, where he was fined £250 together with £650 in costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Joanne Lennon, of Hargreaves Street, paid a cold caller £60 to remove her household rubbish in April this year.

Council officers later discovered 50 bin bags full of waste dumped in Longsight Lane.

After the flytip was traced to her address, Lennon admitted she had not asked the man to show a valid waste carrier license or received a waste transfer note as required by law.

After failing to attend the original hearing, Lennon presented herself in court and was fined £106 and ordered to pay £500 in costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Abdoulaye Gueye, owner of Faye Barbers in Bridge Street, appeared under warrant after he repeatedly failed to provide evidence of a valid commercial waste contract.

He was fined £500 together with £389 in costs and a £50 victim surcharge.

Bolton Council’s Executive Cabinet Member for Environmental Regulatory Services, Cllr Anne Galloway, said: “Ignoring fixed penalty notices or failing to appear in court will not make the issue go away and could result in time spent in police custody.

“Rubbish dumping in our streets and public spaces is a blight on our neighbourhoods and these recent cases make it clear that we will use all legal powers at our disposal to clamp down on this unacceptable behaviour.”