A tipper driver has been jailed after he fly-tipped rubbish on a country road, which left a cyclist with devastating head injuries.
Craig Frewin chucked garden vegetation, parts of a shed and asbestos with protruding nails from his truck on Lincolns Lane in Brentwood in September 2024.
The rubbish dumped across the country lane caused a cyclist in his 60s to come off his bike a few hours later and hit his head, causing concussion.
A delivery driver found the cyclist and called the emergency services and he was taken to hospital by air ambulance in a life-threatening condition.
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 the tipper lorry in the fly-tipping.
They 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 driver stopped at the collision site for less than 10 minutes while he fly-tipped the rubbish.
Frewin was arrested on 15 December 2024 and he later entered a guilty plea to causing danger to road users at Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court.
The 36-year-old was jailed for 16 months when he appeared at Southend Crown Court on 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.”
Upon sentencing, the man’s family said: “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.”
