A reckless couple from Barking have admitted dumping deadly asbestos sheeting in a footpath close to a nursery in Newham, reports the Newham Recorder.

Naz Jarman and his wife Resna Begum were caught on CCTV camera dumping the harmful material from the boot of their car in Dukes Road, East Ham, in April this year.

The sheeting was even more dangerous because it had been broken up and was left on a footpath used by toddlers and their parents or carers to access the nursery.

When asbestos is broken up fibres are released into the air and if inhaled they can causes serious diseases including fatal conditions such as mesothelioma.

The affects of breathing in asbestos usually take at least 15 – 20 years to develop with around 20 people dying each week as a result of past exposure.

The couple were arrested and taken in to custody where they put their hands up to fly-tipping and admitted taking another 11 loads of the hazardous material to a refuse site in Beckton.

Last week they appeared at Thames Magistrates’ Court where they pleaded guilty to the fly-tipping offences.

Mr Jarman was ordered to undertake 100 hours of unpaid community work and ordered to pay £350 costs, plus a further £85 victim surcharge.

His wife, who works as a carer seven days a week, was ordered to observe a 10pm – 6am curfew and wear a tag for 21 days.

She must she also pay £350 costs with an £85 victim surcharge.

Cllr Forhad Hussain, Newham Council’s cabinet member for crime and anti-social behaviour said:

“This was a good result for the fly-tip task force. This couple deliberately travelled out of their own borough to dump hazardous waste on our streets.

The quick and effective investigation by our officers has brought them to justice and should send a message out to others; if you dump in our borough we will catch you and prosecute you.”