Brentwood: Driver jailed for serious collision caused by fly-tipping

Just beyond it, a cyclist could be seen lying on the road beside his bicycle. The driver immediately called 999 for emergency services. At the time, there were no other vehicles in Lincolns Lane.

Police enquiries at the scene quickly established that the rider, 60s, had collided with the fly-tipped rubbish causing him to come off the bike and hit his head, causing a severe head injury. He was taken to hospital by air ambulance in a life-threatening condition.

Examination of the rubbish in situ found one of the pieces of asbestos lying on the road had a protruding nail, explaining how the bike’s front tyre came to be totally deflated with evidence of a puncture and split.

As part of the investigation by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit, officers spent hours piecing together CCTV and dashcam footage, to track the involvement of a tipper lorry in the fly-tipping.

Using the footage, officers followed its route from Upminster to Brentwood and contacted the hire company which ultimately led to identifying the driver at the time of the collision.

The vehicle’s telematics showed the lorry driver stopped at the collision site for less than 10 minutes while the driver offloaded garden vegetation and a shed just a few hours prior to the collision.

Officers were able to positively match the fly-tipped rubbish to that caught on camera in the back of the tipper.

Armed with this evidential timeline, officers arrested the driver on 15 December 2024.

Craig Frewin of Wares Road, Good Easter, appeared at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court on 8 October last year. After entering a guilty plea to causing danger to road users, the 36-year-old was jailed for 16 months when he appeared at Southend Crown Court on Thursday 30 April.

Detective Constable Alan Marks, who led the investigation, said:

Fly-tipping isn’t just an eyesore - it can be a lethal hazard.

In this case, rubbish dumped across a country lane caused a cyclist to come off his bike and suffer a devastating head injury, leaving him with no recollection of what happened and months of hospital treatment.

What’s especially shocking is the hidden dangers within the waste - asbestos left on the road with a nail protruding, which punctured the bike’s tyre and contributed to this serious collision.
This family’s life has been changed forever, and it simply did not need to happen. If you produce waste, you have a responsibility to dispose of it legally and safely - and if you pay someone to take it away, make sure they’re a licensed waste carrier. Fly-tips can contain sharp or hazardous items and can put the public at real risk.

Following the collision, the rubbish was removed by a specialist asbestos disposal company at a cost to the local council of £1,660.

The cyclist was not wearing a cycle helmet at the time of the collision.

We are deeply grateful to Essex Police, and in particular the Roads Policing Unit and Serious Collision Investigation Unit officers involved in this case, for their dedication and determination in uncovering the truth.

The thorough and meticulous investigation, especially the efforts of the officer leading the case, has brought us a sense of justice and reassurance that the person responsible has been held to account.

We know that without the commitment and combined efforts of everyone involved, this outcome and justice may not have been possible.