A man has been jailed after the rubbish he fly-tipped in a country lane in Brentwood contributed to a cyclist suffering a life-changing injury.
The cyclist, aged in his 60s, was discovered lying on Lincolns Lane on the afternoon of September 18, 2024, when a delivery driver was forced to come to a stop due to the large pile of rubbish.
He was airlifted to hospital in a life-threatening condition after the delivery driver called 999.
It is understood he had not been wearing a helmet.
Essex Police established that the rider had crashed with the fly-tipped waste, which caused him to come off his bike and hit his head.
When the pile of waste was examined, it was discovered that a piece of asbestos lying in the road had a nail sticking out of it, which was determined to have been the cause of the bike's front tyre deflating after being split and punctured.
CCTV and dashcam footage provided a trail of evidence, allowing police to track the involvement of a tipper lorry that had travelled from Upminster to Brentwood.
The lorry driver stopped for less than ten minutes to unload the rubbish just hours before the crash.
On December 15, 2024, the driver was arrested.
Craig Frewin of Wares Road, Good Easter, pleaded guilty to causing a danger to road users on October 8, 2025, after appearing at Chelmsford Magistrates' Court.
On Thursday (April 30) the 36-year-old was jailed for 16 months.
According to the Metropolitan Police, the cyclist has no recollection of the crash.
Det Const 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.”
The cyclist's family expressed their gratitude to Essex Police for their efforts throughout the investigation.
They said: “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.”
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