Samuel John Durante sentenced again after dumping tyres in SA’s Mid-North

A young man has been busted over his tyre-removal service he was advertising on social media – which wasn’t quite what it seemed.

A young man has been told to “get a job” by one of the state’s top judges after illegally dumping 20 tyres along a road in the Mid-North for the second time in two years.

Samuel John Durante, 21, fronted the Environment Resources and Development Court last month for sentencing after being found guilty of unlawful disposal of more than 50L of general litter – contravening the Local Nuisance and Litter Control Act.

Judge Michael Durrant said Durante, of Cavan, had “exhibited a blatant disregard” for the law and the “requirement to dispose of litter lawfully”.

“You were in a white utility vehicle with a trailer; inside the vehicle was a large quantity of tyres,” he said. “That vehicle had earlier been spotted full of those tyres on CCTV driving along Boundary Rd and Parkers Rd (Reeves Plains) about 12.25pm.

“A witness then saw you disposing of approximately 20 tyres on to the road reserve. Another witness said that when they had driven past at 12pm that day, 30 minutes before you were there dumping the tyres, they did not see any tyres there at all.

“You were interviewed by an authorised officer of the informant and said you were invited to collect tyres from the area by someone to send them overseas or give them to farmers.”

Samuel Durante was sentenced last month after illegally dumping tyres in the state's Mid North. Picture: Light Regional Council

Durante was taken to court by the Light Regional Council who became aware of his illegal activity on March 26, 2024.

Just a month earlier, he was fined $12,000 after Judge Durrant ruled he had been using social media platforms to offer paid removal services for old tyres on private property

Judge Durrant found once payment was received from landowners, Mr Durante would illegally dump the tyres in the public realm.

In that instance, Mr Durante was found guilty of four counts of illegal dumping and following his conviction and was ordered to pay $21,000 for clean-up and legal fees.

Last month at his first appearance, Judge Durrant said he was “unable to explain” why he had dumped more tyres

“Given that history and your record of driving disqualified I am guarded about your prospects of rehabilitation,” Judge Durrant said.

“Fines have failed to provide sufficient deterrence. You committed this offending about one month after I had sentenced you for the same offending. A sentence of 14 days is warranted in this case to deter you and others from offending in this way again and to reflect that the imposition of fines has not deterred you.

“Given your youth and circumstances, there is good reason to suspend that sentence upon you entering into a bond of $500 to be of good behaviour for one year.

“This is not the type of offending that normally does require a term of imprisonment but you have got to get yourself together and not offend like this again. Get your health right; get a job; do not come back.”

Durante was ordered to pay a fine of $4000 to the Light Regional Council for its legal costs.

Originally published as Samuel John Durante sentenced again after dumping tyres in SA’s Mid-North