A couple attacked a recycling collection crew who refused to empty their bin containing a duvet. The man and woman, who have not been named, pleaded guilty to the assault on SUEZ recycling and recovery UK collection crew.
The couple attacked the crew after being told their bin could not be emptied due to it containing materials that were non-recyclable. The pair had tried to recycle a duvet through the blue bin, but were informed that it should be taken to a household waste recycling centre.
The man and woman chased one of the workers down the road before attacking him. The assault was captured on the collection vehicle's CCTV. The couple were sentenced at Doncaster Magistrates Court, reports Yorkshire Live.
The regional director for SUEZ has now said assaults on the crew aren’t “uncommon” but praised South Yorkshire Police for pursuing the incident. SUEZ’s Regional Director, John Wilkinson said: "We were shocked and sorry that a member of our crew had to endure such horrific and unprovoked abuse.
"SUEZ has a zero-tolerance policy when it comes to the abuse and harassment of our employees who are delivering an essential public service. Regrettably, assaults on our collection crews are not uncommon and we would like to thank South Yorkshire Police for their support in pursuing this incident."
Councillor Mark Houlbrook, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and Waste, Doncaster Council said: "We absolutely deplore the actions of the individuals involved in this incident. There is no situation in which this behaviour should be accepted or tolerated. It should be a given that all staff in the workplace are treated with respect."
PC Egan-Wyer, of South Yorkshire Police, said: "This was a shocking assault on workers who were simply trying to do their job. I am pleased we were able to secure such a strong case which resulted in both defendants pleading guilty.
"I would hope that hours working in the community will help both of them to realise how valuable these workers are and encourage them to treat them with the respect they deserve in the future. We will always endeavour to do all we can to seek justice in cases like these and put offenders before the courts"
For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.
