Rossendale Borough Council’s fight against fly tipping and abandoned vehicles across the borough, Operation Trident, has had another successful prosecution
The Council has successfully prosecuted the owner of a roofing company for fly-tipping, following an investigation by its Public Protection Unit.
An elderly couple from Edgeside, Rossendale, hired RoofRight, a company owned and run by Darren Asfar, 37, of Birks Drive, Bury, to carry out roofing work on their home.
The work involved removing the old roof and replacing several sections. All waste materials were left at the rear of the property on an access road shared by several other residents. Asfar assured the couple that the waste would be removed once the work was completed.
At the start of the job, the couple offered to pay for a skip to dispose of the waste, but Asfar declined. When the work was completed at the end of July 2024, the waste remained in place. Asfar texted the couple, both in their 80s, stating the waste would be removed with a week. However, the waste remained, and despite their repeated calls and texts, Asfar ignored them and eventually blocked their number.
The homeowners reported the fly-tipping to the Council at the beginning of September. Enforcement Officers launched an investigation and, using details from a RoofRight flyer provided by Asfar, they contacted him for an interview under caution. Despite the request being sent via email, WhatsApp, and a signed hard copy delivered by post, Asfar failed to attend or respond in any way.
Asfar appeared at Blackburn Magistrates’ Court, in March 2025 where he pleaded guilty to fly-tipping and failing to provide information. He was fined £400 and ordered to pay a £160 victim surcharge along with £1,220 in prosecution costs.
Councillor Adrian Lythgoe, Rossendale Council’s Lead Member for Environmental and Corporate Services, said: “This successful prosecution sends a clear message that we take environmental offences extremely seriously.
“Fly-tipping is not only illegal but also a blight on our communities, and we will not hesitate to take action against those who think they can get away with it.
“Residents should not have to deal with the consequences of rogue traders dumping waste, and we will continue to do everything in our power to hold offenders accountable.”
The council urges residents to report any suspected environmental crimes at https://bit.ly/rbcreportit