A Queensland skip bin operator has openly admitted dumping rubbish on customers’ properties if they fail to pay outstanding bills, after a grieving daughter accused him of scattering waste across the entrance to her late parents’ Townsville block.
Fat Boy Skips owner Barry Shonhan told Daily Mail Australia he dumped a load of rubbish at the property because the bill for the skip bin had not been paid.
‘If someone doesn’t pay for a skip, I don’t take the rubbish,’ he said.
The admission comes as multiple online reviewers allege they were threatened with, or subjected to, similar standover tactics following disputes over additional charges.
Among those accusing Mr Shonhan of the practice is Melbourne mum Megan Churchill.
After her mother died of cancer, Ms Churchill returned from Melbourne to sort through her late parents’ Townsville property, only to find rubbish strewn across the entrance.
Mr Shonhan claimed money was still owed for the bin, but Ms Churchill maintains she neither ordered nor filled it and was never advised of any outstanding debt.
She said a squatter living on the property hired and filled the skip bin before leaving.
After her mother died of cancer Megan Churchill (pictured) returned from Melbourne to sort through her late parents’ Townsville property, only to find rubbish strewn across the entrance
Fat Boy Skips business owner Barry Shonhan (pictured) told Daily Mail Australia he dumped a load of rubbish at the property because the bill for the skip bin had not been paid
Barry Shonhan admitted dumping the rubbish at Ms Churchill’s parents’ property (pictured) and said he had done the same in other cases, blaming customers for failing to pay
‘I am absolutely disgusted with Fat Boy Skips,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.
‘After my mum died from cancer, I returned from Melbourne to deal with my parents’ 22-acre property in Townsville.
‘A squatter had been staying there and had apparently organised and filled a Fat Boy Skips bin.’
Ms Churchill said she served the squatter with a notice to leave in November last year or face trespassing charges.
When she returned to the property in July, the squatter was gone but there was a full skip bin on the property.
‘I called Barry and said, “One of your bins is here. Are you missing one and who ordered it?” she said.
‘I sent him photos and he seemed a bit blasé, but asked for the address.’
A family friend then discovered rubbish scattered across the property’s entrance on Monday.
A picture of the Fat Boy Skips bin filled up with rubbish which Ms Churchill believes was ordered and filled by a squatter living on the property illegally
‘I called him and said, “You’ve dumped all of that illegally.” He laughed and hung up. When I called back, he didn’t answer,’ she said.
‘I did not order it. I did not fill it. I had absolutely nothing to do with it.
‘Not once did he ask me what had happened or warn me he was going to dump the rubbish,’ she said.
Mr Shonhan admitted dumping the rubbish at Ms Churchill’s property and said he had done the same in other cases, blaming customers for failing to pay.
He said he had repeatedly tried to contact Ms Churchill to resolve the matter before dumping the waste.
‘They didn’t want to pay me for the bin to be emptied, so I dumped it,’ he said.
Asked about other customers who had complained about rubbish being dumped on their properties, Mr Shonhan was unapologetic.
‘If someone doesn’t pay for a skip, I don’t take the rubbish,’ he said.
Fat By Skips boss Barry Shonhan claims he had repeatedly tried to contact Ms Churchill to resolve the matter before dumping the waste
Fat Boy Sips owner Barry Shonhan admits he dumps the rubbish if customers don’t pay up
Firefighters witnessed waste, including solar panels, being burned on the property (pictured) at night near environmentally sensitive wetlands, including Alligator Creek
Join the discussion
Should businesses ever have the right to dump rubbish on private property over unpaid bills?
Mr Shonhan’s admission comes just a year after environmental authorities ordered the closure of an alleged illegal dump linked to the skip-bin operator.
Authorities found 119 cubic metres of waste, roughly equivalent to a three-bedroom house packed with waste from floor to ceiling, on the property he owns in Cape Cleveland in Nome.
The order states firefighters witnessed waste, including solar panels, being burned on the property at night near environmentally sensitive wetlands, including Alligator Creek.
Despite the action, Mr Shonhan denied any stop-work order had ever been issued.
‘It never happened,’ he said.
However, an environmental enforcement order names Barry Edward Shonhan and lists his home address.
It said aerial imagery showed waste being delivered to the premises by trucks with loaded skips bearing Fat Boy Skips signage.
