Fly-tipper's truck got stuck in mud

With their truck unable to move, the pair could not escape before police arrived to catch them red-handed.

The pick-up lorry packed with refuse was driven onto the land at Cat and Kittens Lane in Featherstone by 26-year-old Harminder Singh Dhillon, Cannock Magistrates Court was told.

Prosecutor Miss Venice Archer-Dyer said he and 18-year-old Jamie Jackson dumped an industrial wheelie bin full of debris from Sponge Bobs, the unregistered car wash business were they worked in East Road, Cannock.

They also hurled bags of rubbish onto the grass before making their unsuccessful bid to get away. A couple living nearby saw their antics and alerted police on February 11.

Miss Archer-Dyer said: "Unfortunately for the defendants the lorry became stuck in the mud and the police arrived to find them in the cab of a recovery vehicle they had called to the scene to get them out."

Dhillon, from Woodhouse Road North, Tettenhall, and Jackson, formally of Russell Road, Bilston, but now of no fixed address, were both convicted of illegally depositing controlled waste after a trial last month.

They were remanded on bail until yesterday for sentence. Dhillon was too ill too attend, the magistrates heard, and Mr Rob Govier, defending Jackson, said: "That is unfortunate because Dhillon is the real villain.

"He had met Jackson at college, offered him work washing cars and was both picking him up and taking him home on a regular basis."

Magistrates chairman John Brown gave Jackson 150 hours of unpaid work during a 12-month community order plus £260 costs and told him: "We do not think you were the main participant in this."

The case of Dhillon was adjourned until December 1 when he must provide an appropriate medical certificate if still unable to attend.