£80 per second: Bloxwich fly-tipper fined
A man who was filmed dumping household waste at a site plagued by fly-tipping has been banned from driving and ordered to pay more than £1,700.
Neil Brookes, of Blakenall Lane in Bloxwich, was filmed as part of a covert filming operation in April last year.
Accompanied by another unidentified individual, he was filmed illegally dumping two bed bases and two mattresses from a Ford Transit lorry at Rayboulds Bridge Road, Walsall. The land has become a hotspot for fly-tippers in recent years.
Brookes failed to attend a court summons on August 4 and an arrest warrant was issued for his arrest.
Police arrested Brookes on August 27 and he appeared before Walsall Magistrates Court on the same day where he pleaded guilty and was fined £300 and ordered to pay £1,432.59 costs, with a victim surcharge of £30.
Following a request to magistrates by Walsall Council for the court to consider similar offences for illegal fly tipping, Brookes received an additional three-month driving ban.
The first request of its kind made by Walsall Council environmental health officers, this approach will now become a standard request for future offenders.
Councillor Louise Harrison, portfolio holder for clean and green services, said: "For a fly-tip that took about 22 seconds to complete the criminal activity of Mr Brookes has resulted in a cost to him of around £80 per second.
"We are determined that potential fly tippers understand that Walsall Council will use all available powers to fight this crime."
