A Gloucestershire resident has been issued with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice (FPN) after travelling into Wiltshire to illegally fly-tip his waste.

Domestic waste was discovered in the verge on Tetbury Lane, near Malmesbury and reported to the council’s Environmental Enforcement team. When officers investigated, they found evidence which led back to an address in Tetbury.

When invited for an interview under caution, the resident’s father came forward and admitted to the offence, confessing that he had dumped the waste after being unable to get a slot at his local household recycling centre (HRC) in Gloucestershire. He admitted that it had been a stupid decision and that he had not considered the possible consequences. He was issued with a £1,000 fine which has since been paid.

As FPNs are not a conviction in court, the man involved cannot be named.

Cllr Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding said: “There is no excuse for dumping rubbish in the Wiltshire countryside. Fly-tipping is not only a blight on our beautiful landscapes, but it can also be harmful to wildlife and it costs us – and in turn Wiltshire taxpayers – money to clean it up. That’s why we are working hard to stamp out fly-tipping in Wiltshire.

“If you choose to illegally dump your waste in Wiltshire, expect to be tracked down and held accountable, whether you live in the county or not.

“Anyone caught fly-tipping can be ordered to pay a £1,000 fixed penalty notice or be taken to court, where they could face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.”

To find out more about how the council is tackling fly-tipping in Wiltshire and how to report fly-tipping, people should visit: https://www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping.