A Figtree man has copped a hefty fine after he failed to remove "hoarded rubbish", 10 classic cars and overgrown vegetation across his three Illawarra properties.
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Lupcho Talevski fronted Wollongong Local Court on Thursday where he pleaded guilty to three counts of failing to comply with an order (safety of land).
The court heard Talevski had been issued clean up orders from Wollongong City Council in September 2021 at his Figtree, Wollongong and West Wollongong properties, after neighbours made complaints of debris and dead, overgrown vegetation.
He was ordered to remove all stockpiled timber, vehicle tyres and parts, household goods, building debris, vegetation and other rubbish at the three properties, however 12 months on, had not complied.
The 52-year-old was also ordered to remove six classic cars from one property, the court heard, and four cars were to be removed from another.
Talevski, assisted in court by a relative, said two out of the three properties had now been tidied.
As for the third, which still had vegetation that needed clearing, Magistrate Chris McRobert had questions.
"Why are you taking so long to clean up this rubbish? This has been going on for over a year," Magistrate McRobert said.
"What was the intention of all these motor vehicles?"
Talevski said the clean up was "very time consuming", adding he was holding onto the cars as they cost him a lot of money and that he intended to eventually restore them.
The court also heard Talevski faced financial hardship and recently spent a considerable amount on hiring 15 skip bins throughout the clean up process.
Prosecutor Patrick Schmidt said he had received photographs of the mess from residents in London Drive, West Wollongong and Finlayson Drive, Wollongong as evidence.
In sentencing, Magistrate McRobert issued a hefty fine for Talevski's non-compliance with the orders and likened his behaviour to "hoarding".
"There's been a considerable accumulation of rubbish with vegetation growing around it," he said.
"(Talevski) is entitled to use his properties for his own purpose but has to consider other neighbours who have complained.
"This cannot be described as anything else than hoarding rubbish."
Talevski was ordered to pay $4500 in fines and $3300 in legal costs.
Read more Illawarra court and crime stories here.
Grace Crivellaro
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
Court reporter for the Illawarra Mercury.
