Fast-food receipt leads to supersized fine for Thornlie man

A Thornlie man is probably not lovin’ McDonald’s after his fast-food splurge came back to bite him. Samuel Michael Gossage was fined $10,000 after a fast food receipt was used to trace him and subsequently charge the 27-year-old with illegal dumping in a national park.

Mr Gossage was hit with the supersized fine in the Armadale Magistrates Court on Tuesday for dumping fencing, which contained asbestos, in Korung National Park near Karragullen in June.

The Department of Environment Regulation was able to catch Mr Gossage after finding what appears to be a McDonald’s receipt among the dumped fencing.

The receipt that led DER to Mr Gossage.

DER crossed checked the time on the receipt with footage from the restaurant’s drive-through CCTV and also identified Mr Gossage from a concealed video camera at the dumping site.

As well as the whopper fine, Mr Gossage was also ordered to pay $1284 to clean up his mess and another $660 in court costs.

DER acting director-general Kelly Faulkner said the fine should seen a message to “would-be dumpers”.

“This conviction makes it clear that severe penalties apply to anyone who illegally dumps waste across this state,” she said.

“These penalties are in place because the illegal dumping of waste can impact on the health of people and the environment, and is costly for the community.”

The maximum fine for illegal dumping is $62,500 for individuals and $125,000 for corporations.

To report illegal dumping, call DER’s 24-hour pollution watch hotline on 1300 784 782.


1 Star2 Stars3 Stars4 Stars5 Stars (1 оценок, среднее: 5.00 из 5)

Fast-food receipt leads to supersized fine for Thornlie man