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Father and son fined for Shotover fly-tip 

A father and son have been ordered to pay more than £2,500 following a serious fly-tipping incident at Shotover Country Park near Oxford. 

On Friday 27 June, at Oxford Magistrates, Michael McDonagh (snr), 75, of Kiln Lane, Garsington, and Michael Paul Francis McDonagh (jnr), 45, of Cumnor Rd, Oxford, were fined after admitting separate offences.  

Magistrates heard how, on 22 September 2024, a witness had spotted three men carrying out a fly-tip at the nationally important wildlife and scientific interest site.  A mixture of household waste was being dumped; including mattresses, a carpet, packaging, wood and various other items.     

From photos of the incident, Police were able to identify one of the men, Michael McDonagh (snr).  In December 2024, he attended an interview under caution when he admitted the unlawful deposit of the waste.   

The vehicle used to transport the rubbish displayed clear signage for Unique Drives and Roofing Limited.  South Oxfordshire District Council’s Envirocrime Team were therefore able to issue a notice against the company’s sole director, Michael Paul Francis McDonagh (jnr), ordering him to provide waste disposal documentation for the last two years.  However, he failed to comply with this legal requirement and so was prosecuted by the district council for failing in his duty of care for the transportation and disposal of waste. 

Taking early guilty pleas from both defendants and limited means into account, Magistrates imposed the following sentences: 

  • Michael McDonagh (snr) was fined £400 for the unlawful deposit of waste and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £160 and compensation to the landowner of £388 for clear up costs.  Total to pay – £948. 
  • Michael Paul Francis McDonagh (jnr) was fined £500 for failing to provide the required documentation sought under Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act, and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £200 and full prosecution costs of £995.  Total to pay – £1,695.