Man hit with severe penalties despite claiming he didn't remember committing crime: 'This case serves as a warning'

Man hit with severe penalties despite claiming he didn't remember committing crime: 'This case serves as a warning'

A man was charged nearly $1,813 for illegally dumping waste from his trailer in Seaham in October 2024, the Northern Echo reported. The environmental crime was tried at Peterlee Magistrates Court after the council made several attempts to contact Joe Charlton, 31, for an interview. When he finally responded in court, he claimed he did not remember doing it. Charlton was convicted of two crimes: one for knowingly causing controlled waste to be de…