Scrap trader without a licence found guilty in court

A Canterbury man caught transporting scrap waste without having a licence to do so has been found guilty of the offence in his absence at court and fined a total of £1,174.

Scott Hollingsbee, 33, of Long Meadow Way in the city, failed to attend the hearing at Margate Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 30 October.

The court heard that Mr Hollingsbee was stopped in Park View, Sturry, on 17 January 2025 during a joint operation between Canterbury City Council’s Environmental Crime Officers and Kent Police’s Rural Task Force.

He claimed that at the time of the stop, the waste on board his vehicle (pictured above) was from a family property.

But following further investigations, it was confirmed that Mr Hollingsbee had been collecting large quantities of scrap and making a profit over a period of time without holding a Scrap Collectors’ Licence for collecting scrap in Canterbury district.

The council took the case to court where he was found guilty of the offence under Section 1 of the Scrap Metal Dealers Act.

He was fined £660, with a surcharge of £264 and the council’s prosecution costs of £250 – a total of £1,174 to be paid in full within 28 days.

The council pursues cases like this to support scrap traders who are licensed and follow the rules, and to show those who do not, that it is proactive and will take action.

People who are having waste removed from their property are reminded they have a duty of care to check the waste carrier is licensed, because if they use an unlicensed carrier and the waste then gets flytipped, they could receive a fine themselves.

The Environment Agency website has a register of licensed waste carriers. 

Published: 4 November 2025