Woman fined after CCTV catches car registered to her dumping rubbish at Wicklow bottle banks
The Wicklow PeopleA woman has been fined €300 after a car registered in her name was captured on CCTV being used to dump a bag beside bottle banks in Wicklow town.
Kathleen O’Brien with an address at Bollarney Woods, Dublin Road, Wicklow town, was due to appear at a sitting of Bray District Court after being summoned by Wicklow County Council (WCC) for illegal dumping.
A legal representative for WCC said that in August 2025, a male driving a car registered to Ms O’Brien illegally dumped a bag in front of the bring banks at Abbey Street carpark in Wicklow town.
CCTV footage played to the court showed a male getting out of a Ford Mondeo registered to the accused and dumping the bag.
Senior officers for the council gave evidence that enquiries made into the owner of the vehicle led to a fine being issued to Ms O’Brien in September 2025.
It was noted that the first fine went unpaid and a final reminder was issued in October.
The law department for WCC then sent a final notice before Ms O’Brien was summonsed to court.
Judge Mary McAveety remarked that CCTV footage appeared to show a man dumping the bag, unless it was Ms O’Brien “dressed up”.
However, the court heard that under the Litter Pollution Act, the person whose vehicle is used is liable.
Judge McAveety fined Ms O’Brien €300 and ordered her to pay the council’s costs of €700.
Following the hearing, WCC reminded people that leaving items outside bring and textile banks is a form of dumping and an offence under the Litter Pollution Act.
Dumping attracts a maximum fine of up to €4,000.
The council said 1,474 complaints relating to littering and dumping were received and investigated in 2025.
There were 93 litter fines issued in Wicklow in 2024 and 154 in 2025. WCC said the increase is due to the reintroduction of CCTV.
They also said the prosecution this month was the first case taken since the reintroduction of CCTV, with more expected over the coming months.
In 2025, the council also undertook 53 prosecutions under the Waste Management Act and Litter Pollution Act.
Nine households were prosecuted for handing their waste to unauthorised collectors. This included so-called ‘man a van’ operators who advertise waste collection services without valid permits.
A further 15 prosecutions related to mismanaging, dumping or the unauthorised storage of waste.
The council said 26 households have faced legal action so far in 2026 after being unable to show how they dispose of their household rubbish.
WCC also said prosecutions are taken against commercial businesses which fail to properly segregate their waste through the three-bin system.
In 2025, one commercial food business was successfully prosecuted after failing to use a compost bin despite repeated warnings from the council. A €600 fine was imposed and €1,050 in costs were awarded to the council.
They also reminded households that there is a legal obligation to dispose of household waste in an authorised manner and that they must be able to provide receipts when requested.