Hidden camera catches fly-tipper out
Robin Frederick Cole (53) of Oxenhope, Bracknell, Berkshire, pleaded guilty at Wycombe Magistrates Court on Wednesday (13 January) to an offence of dumping waste illegally.
The court heard that on 2 October 2015, a Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire covert camera deployed on Allerds Road, Burnham, recorded images of Mr Cole depositing a bucket and a box containing builders waste from his van.
The waste was photographed and examined by an investigator from the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, who found items which were subsequently traced back to Mr Cole.
When interviewed at a police station by Waste Partnership investigators, Mr Cole admitted depositing the waste. He said he had acted on impulse in a one-off act. He showed considerable remorse for his actions.
The Magistrates fined Mr Cole £585 and ordered him to pay clean-up and prosecution costs of £253.60. A victim surcharge of £58 was also levied, making a total to pay of £896.60.
The case was prosecuted by Buckinghamshire County Council working on behalf of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire.
The Waste Partnership launched the ‘Illegal Dumping Costs’ campaign in October 2003 to combat illegal dumping and waste management offences in Buckinghamshire. Since then, the Partnership has secured 509 convictions against individuals and companies for illegal dumping and related offences. On average, there is at least one conviction per week for illegal dumping offences in Buckinghamshire. This has resulted in a halving of reported incidents and a saving of over £1 million for residents.
We’ve made reporting fly-tipping easy: upload details including location and photos online or on your mobile at www.buckscc.gov.uk/fly