Key Points
- Eileen McDonagh, 37, from Thirlmere Place, St Julians, Newport, was convicted of fly-tipping and failure to manage her household waste properly.
- She was caught disposing of black bags of household waste at the Windmill Square car park in Pillgwenlly in October 2025.
- Officers from the city council’s environmental protection and community safety teams came face-to-face with her, after which she attempted to skip the locality.
- They later recovered and impounded the vehicle used in committing the offense; the council clarified it wouldn’t be returning the same.
- At the conclusion of her case held at the Newport Magistrates’ Court, McDonagh was fined £480.
- She had to pay the costs and a £192 victim surcharge as well, resulting in the total monetary punishment being £3,828.48.
- Various media sources provided slightly varying costs estimates; while BBC News and WalesOnline put them at £2,484.48, South Wales Argus cited them as £3,156.48, both totals amounting to the same total of £3,828.48 along with the fines and surcharge.
- Impounding of vehicles associated with any criminal offenses related to the management of wastes is within the powers of the Newport City Council.
- Yvonne Forsey, Councillor and the cabinet member for climate change, waste and recycling at Newport City Council, stated that fly-tipping impacts neighborhoods adversely and that they would act against the offenders.
- According to Welsh Government statistics cited by local publications, there were 8,139 cases of fly-tipping in Newport in 2023/24, the highest in Wales and 37% more than Cardiff.
- This figure fell to 7,318 in 2024/25, which was 16.8% more than in 2022/23 and 63% more than in 2018/19.
Newport (Wales Times) November 13, 2026 — A uk/local/newport/">Newport woman has been fined and has lost her car after being caught fly-tipping household waste in a city-centre car park.
Eileen McDonagh, 37, of Thirlmere Place in St Julians, was prosecuted after Newport City Council investigated the illegal dumping of household waste in Pillgwenlly. As reported by BBC News, McDonagh was caught leaving household waste in the car park at Windmill Square in October last year.
WalesOnline reported that McDonagh had placed black rubbish bags containing household refuse in the car park before attempting to drive away when environmental protection officers approached. The publication said officers witnessed the incident and confronted her before she could leave the area.
The South Wales Argus reported that McDonagh fled when officers from the council’s environmental protection and community safety teams approached her. The newspaper said officers later tracked down and seized the vehicle used in the offence.
Newport City Council said the vehicle McDonagh used when she was caught fly-tipping had been seized during the police investigation and would not be returned.
Why was McDonagh prosecuted?
McDonagh faced prosecution for fly-tipping and for offences connected with her duty of care over household waste. As reported by BBC News, Newport City Council said it investigated the incident, identified the vehicle involved and brought the case before Newport Magistrates’ Court.
WalesOnline reported that the waste discarded in the car park breached environmental regulations and led the council to seize McDonagh’s car and bring charges relating to fly-tipping and the duty of care for waste.
The South Wales Argus said the council prosecuted McDonagh for fly-tipping and failing to take proper care of household waste. It reported that she was found guilty after a trial at Newport Magistrates’ Court.
Newport City Council’s own guidance states that it can seize a vehicle and its contents if the vehicle is used to commit a waste crime such as fly-tipping.
What penalty did the court impose?
McDonagh was fined £480 after being found guilty at Newport Magistrates’ Court. As reported by BBC News, she was also ordered to pay costs of £2,484.48 and a £192 surcharge to fund victim services.
WalesOnline gave the same breakdown, reporting a £480 fine, £2,484.48 in costs and a £192 victim services surcharge.
The South Wales Argus, however, reported that McDonagh was ordered to pay £3,156.48 in council costs, alongside the £480 fine and £192 victim surcharge. The newspaper said the total bill was £3,828.48 and that the court ruled her vehicle would not be returned.
The discrepancy concerns the costs element: BBC News and WalesOnline reported £2,484.48, while the South Wales Argus reported £3,156.48. Both reported the same overall financial total of £3,828.48.
What did Newport Council say?
Councillor Yvonne Forsey, Newport’s cabinet member for climate change, waste and recycling, said fly-tipping was a serious offence. As reported by WalesOnline, she said: “Fly-tipping is a grave offense. It tarnishes our neighborhoods, and the council is committed to taking action against offenders whenever possible.”
Councillor Forsey added that Newport provides weekly doorstep collections for recyclable household waste, saying there was “absolutely no justification” for failing to dispose of waste lawfully and responsibly.
Newport City Council’s fly-tipping information confirms that it can seize vehicles and their contents when they are used in waste crimes. The council also says it works with Natural Resources Wales on a tyre-tagging scheme intended to reduce fly-tipping in Newport.
How widespread is fly-tipping in Newport?
Newport has recorded the highest number of fly-tipping incidents in Wales in recent years, according to Welsh Government statistics cited by local reporting. The South Wales Argus reported that Newport logged 8,139 incidents in 2023/24, 37% more than Cardiff, which recorded 5,931.
Newport City Council’s own committee papers state that, out of 22 authorities in Wales, Newport recorded the most fly-tipping incidents in 2023/24. The council paper said the 8,139 incidents were more than the combined total for Mid and South West Wales, which was 7,386.
The number of incidents fell to 7,318 in 2024/25, according to reporting by the South Wales Argus. Despite that reduction, the figure remained 16.8% higher than in 2022/23 and 63% higher than pre-pandemic levels in 2018/19.
WalesOnline similarly reported that Newport recorded 8,139 fly-tipping cases in 2023 and 2024, representing a 37% increase compared with Cardiff, and that the later figure of 7,318 was nearly 17% higher than in 2022.
What powers allow vehicle seizure?
Newport City Council says it may seize a vehicle and its contents if it is used to commit a waste crime, including fly-tipping. The council’s official guidance directs residents to its waste-crime vehicle seizure information for further detail.
The South Wales Argus reported that the vehicle used in McDonagh’s offence was tracked down and seized after she fled from council officers. It said the court ruled that the vehicle would not be returned.
BBC News also reported that the car McDonagh was using when she was caught had been seized during the police investigation and would not be returned.
Background of the development
Fly-tipping is the illegal deposit of waste on land that is not authorised to receive it. Newport City Council distinguishes the offence from littering and says it can take enforcement action, including vehicle seizure, where waste crimes are involved.
The case follows wider concern about fly-tipping in Newport. Welsh Government statistics reported by local outlets showed that Newport had the highest recorded number of incidents in Wales in 2023/24, with 8,139 cases.
The reported fall to 7,318 incidents in 2024/25 indicates a reduction year on year, but the total remained substantially above the 2022/23 level and well above pre-pandemic figures.
Newport City Council says it provides weekly doorstep collections for recyclable household waste. Councillor Forsey’s comments linked the council’s enforcement approach to the availability of lawful waste-disposal services.
Prediction: How this may affect Newport residents
For Newport residents, the case is likely to reinforce the financial and practical consequences of disposing of household waste illegally. The reported penalty of £3,828.48, together with the permanent loss of the vehicle used in the offence, may make residents more cautious about using unauthorised waste carriers or dumping rubbish in public spaces.
Residents who pay someone else to remove waste should retain evidence that the person is licensed and authorised to carry it, because duty-of-care rules place responsibility on householders to ensure their waste is disposed of properly. The council’s prosecution of McDonagh included an offence relating to her duty of care over household waste.
For Newport City Council, the case may support its stated enforcement position that vehicles used in fly-tipping can be seized and not returned. The council’s published policy already states that it can seize vehicles and contents used in waste crimes.
For the wider community, the outcome may add to pressure on the council to maintain enforcement activity while also ensuring accessible and reliable waste-collection services. The reported figures show that, although incidents fell in 2024/25, Newport’s total remained higher than both its 2022/23 level and its pre-pandemic level.
