Hidden camera snares fly-tipper

A van driver who dumped two old sofas in a residential street has become the latest fly-tipper to be caught blighting the streets of Wolverhampton.

Imtiaz Hussain, aged 36, was filmed by a secret camera set up to snare dumpers as he off-loaded the two black settees into a street in Whitmore Reans. Yesterday Hussain was ordered to pay more than £560 in costs after a court heard it was a growing problem in the city.

Wolverhampton Magistrates Court how Hussain had used his boss's Mercedes Sprinter van to dump the sofas in Gatis Street on December 15 last year.

The court was told Gatis Street was a "problem area" and that a camera had been set up to catch fly-tippers.

Officials traced the numberplate shown on the CCTV to a Birmingham man who ran a business in Wolverhampton.

He had loaned the van to Hussain, who was his employee.

When questioned by officials, Hussain, of Sweetman Street, Whitmore Reans, said he had brought a new settee and "had to get rid of his old ones".

He told the court: "I'm very ashamed – it's the first mistake in my life. I've never been to court."

Donna Richards, prosecuting for Wolverhampton City Council, said: "Fly-tipping is a significant problem all over the country. In Wolverhampton, it's an increasing issue in areas of seclusion."

Chairman of the bench Mr Richard Blundell told Hussain: "You've admitted it's quite a foolish thing that you've done.

"It would have been a lot more financially viable to hire a skip at £60 or £70 and throw the settees in there."

Hussain was given a conditional discharge for 12 months and ordered to pay £568 costs.

Last month, it emerged that fly-tipping costs city taxpayers half a million pounds every year to clean up.

There are 5,000 reports of waste dumped by rogue householders and businesses every year.

* Magistrates yesterday issued a warrant for Sarah Jane Vickers, aged 25, of Lunt Place Bilston, after she failed to appear in court.

She is accused of allowing bin bags full of rotting food, clothing, toys and a hoover to be dumped at the back of her home.