Woman fined more than £1k for 'having a messy garden'

12 November 2023 , 12:36

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Natalie Hixon’s garden was causing an unpleasant odour for her neighbours (Image: Folkestone & Hythe District Council / SWNS)

A woman whose garden smelled so badly from dog poo, rubbish and broken furniture has been hit with a large fine despite multiple warnings from the local authority.

Natalie Hixon was given a fine of more than £1,000 for letting poo and rubbish pile up in her garden, which had a knock-on effect for her neighbours. Hixon was issued with a community order, which she ignored, forcing Folkestone & Hythe district council to take her to court last month.

She was convicted of breaching the order and was fined £660, ordered to pay £180 costs and also a £264 victim surcharge – a total of £1,104 – at Margate magistrates' court. The council said Hixon's inaction meant an "unpleasant odour" wafted around which affected those living nearby.

The local council in Folkestone issued a community order against Natalie Hixon (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

According to Kent Live, the messy resident, of Canterbury Road, Folkstone, was warned about the mess and cleared some of it, but failed to remove the dog poo. A picture shows garden furniture strewn about, with muck visible on the floor and on a barbecue. And the council said Hixon did not even bother to attend court, so was convicted in her absence.

And according to a post on the local council's website, she: "Allowed the trash to build up over a number of months – causing an overpowering unpleasant odour which impacted those living nearby. She was given several warnings by Folkestone & Hythe District Council and although some of the other waste was removed, the dog poo continued to gather."

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Councillor Polly Blakemore – the Cabinet Member for Transport, Regulatory Services and Building Control – said: “Prosecutions are always a last resort, but action will be taken when people’s quality of life is being impacted by inconsiderate behaviour such as this.”

According to advice from the Citizens Advice Bureau, the best way to deal with situations such as these is: "If your neighbour is noisy or stops you feeling comfortable, try to discuss it with them if you can. If that doesn’t work there are other ways you can ask them to stop, for example by reporting them to the council.

"Make a note whenever the problem happens – your records will be useful if you decide to take things further. Write as much detail as possible. Include what happened, the length of time and how it affected you. Keep any messages your neighbour sends you and collect evidence if you feel safe to. For example, take a photo of rubbish that’s been dumped in your garden."

Ben Barry