A GRAYS woman was fined £500 and ordered to pay full costs of nearly £1,000 after not clearing rubbish from her garden.
On Friday (17 May) Basildon Magistrates found Victoria Porter a private tenant living at Whitehall Lane, Grays, guilty of Breaching a Notice served under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.
Porter did not attend court and was found guilty in her absence.
The court heard the notice was served after environmental protection officers from Thurrock Council visited the home in September last year following a complaint.
A large accumulation of rubbish was seen with items in it that could harbour or entice vermin including food waste and putrescible items of household waste.
Porter failed to remove the rubbish, breaching the notice and was fined £500, ordered to pay £15 victim support, and full costs of £971.23 – a total of £1.486.23.