Staffordshire farmer gets £3k fine for fly-tipping 150 tyres in road
A farmer who dumped more than 150 tyres and blocked a public road has been ordered to fork out almost £3,000 in fines and court costs.
Chris Inett, 50, of Furnace Grange Road, Trescott, South Staffordshire dumped the tyres in Bennett's Lane.
During a hearing at Stafford Magistrates Court on June 3, South Staffordshire Council, which discovered the rubbish, alleged that Inett had moved the tyres from his land on Furnace Grange Farm to Bennett's Lane, blocking the highway and preventing traffic from passing.
Further down the road, a significant quantity of garden waste including trees, fencing and trellising had also been left, again blocking the road.
The court heard that Inett admitted dumping the waste at a very early stage and had voluntarily moved the rubbish at his own expense.
When interviewed, Inett initially blamed the dumping on travellers. In court, he pleaded guilty to two counts of fly tipping. He was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £848.35 plus a victim surcharge of £120.
Councillor Roger Lees, cabinet member for public health protection services said: "It is ironic that Mr Inett, who had been the unfortunate victim of fly-tipping himself, did not appreciate how his dumping would affect the countryside. Rather than get the rubbish removed, he thought it better to take it off his land and onto the public highway.
"A lot of people think that if they dump rubbish in public areas, the council will clear it away for free.We have a duty to keep South Staffordshire clean and tidy, but we will always pursue those who fly tip on our land, and take them to court if necessary.
"The amount of fines given out over the past few months shows how seriously the courts take this issue.
"People dumping rubbish instead of getting rid of it properly may think they are saving money, but it will always cost them in the long run."
