One man was caught on CCTV
The waste Yate man Bob Stark, 28, was found guilty of illegally dumping on a lane in Codrington(Image: South Gloucestershire Council)
Two men have been fined a total of nearly £1,400 for fly-tipping offences. Bob Stark was fined £718 for leaving garden waste strewn across a road in Codrington in South Gloucestershire.
Stark, who lives in Yate, was rumbled when a label linked to an address in Thornbury was found amongst the litter he had left across a road, which was discovered on March 17. Investigators subsequently established that Stark had agreed to dispose of the waste in exchange for borrowing a trailer it was being stored on.
Doorbell footage showed the 28-year-old borrowing the trailer in question. When he was confronted, he claimed he had deposited the rubbish in communal bins attached to flats in Fishponds — only to be told this would have also been fly-tipping since he didn’t live at the block of flats in question.
The waste Yate man Bob Stark, 28, was found guilty of illegally dumping on a lane in Codrington(Image: South Gloucestershire Council)
In a seperate case, Samuel Wardle was slapped with a £660 fine for dumping a bed and bags of rubble which were found on a lane in Longwell Green on March 26. CCTV footage captured a man throwing the waste out of a vehicle which was later found to belong to the 48-year-old, from Hungerford.
Both men pleaded guilty to fly-tipping at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on September 29. Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said the latest crackdown was part of the council’s zero tolerance approach to dealing with illegal waste.
“I’m really pleased to see more of the environmental enforcement team’s prosecutions successfully conclude,” Cllr Rhodes said. “We will not tolerate illegal waste activity in South Gloucestershire and we want to send the clear message that anyone found flouting the law will be brought before the courts.”
South Gloucestershire Council has stepped up its campaign against fly tippers in recent years. In 2024, criminals were fined nearly £50,000 for illegally dumping waste in the local authority area.
Councillors have campaigned for the money raised by prosecuting fly tippers to remain in council coffers. At present, proceeds from such fines go to the government.
Councillor Rhodes said there was no excuse to dump waste illegally, adding that people engaging private contractors to get rid of rubbish for them should always check to see if the company or individual they were engaging was legitimate.
“There are a number of legitimate options for waste removal, including the council’s large household waste collection service,” he said. “If you hire a third-party to dispose of your waste, always ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken.”