Martin Stokes fined £3,905 for fly-tipping outside Barkingside bingo hall

A man who dumped household waste outside a bingo hall in Barkingside has been ordered to pay £3,905. Martin Stokes, 30, from Birmingham, was convicted in his absence at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court on 16 June 2025 after failing to attend his trial. The court heard he had already been fined more than £2,000 for two earlier fly-tipping offences in Redbridge.

Redbridge Council brought the case after CCTV footage showed a yellow van entering the car park of Buzz Bingo Hall on High Street. The driver and a passenger unloaded mattresses, a fridge freezer, glass panels and cardboard before leaving. The vehicle’s registration plate was recorded, allowing officers to identify Stokes.

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Previous offences and unpaid fines

The council said Stokes had been issued a £1,000 fixed penalty notice last year for failing to identify the driver of the van. When he did not pay, criminal charges were filed. The latest conviction covers both the fly-tipping offence and the earlier failure to comply with the notice.

The total fine of £3,905 includes court costs, council costs and the expense of clearing the waste. Redbridge Council said the money would otherwise have been spent on local services. The council’s cabinet member for environment, Councillor Sunny Brar, said the authority would continue to prosecute offenders to protect public funds.

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We will use the full force of the law to track down and prosecute offenders, ensuring residents’ money is invested in our communities rather than wasted on cleaning up illegal dumping.

Councillor Sunny Brar, Redbridge Council cabinet member for environment

What happens next

Stokes has 28 days from the date of the conviction to pay the fine. If he does not, Redbridge Council can apply to the court for enforcement action, which may include bailiffs or further legal proceedings. The council has not confirmed whether it will pursue the unpaid fines from his earlier offences.

Residents who witness fly-tipping can report it to Redbridge Council online or by phone. The council said it uses CCTV, witness statements and vehicle registration details to investigate cases. Fly-tipping carries a maximum penalty of an unlimited fine and five years in prison.