![](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/10\/0_FrenchayFly-Tip.jpg\")
The fly-tipped waste<\/p>\nHe claimed to have paid someone to take it awayThe fly-tipped waste<\/p>\n
A Bristol fly-tipper has been fined nearly \u00a31,000 after his sofa and household waste were dumped on a popular footpath. Ronald Shaw appeared at Bristol Magistrates’ Court after being prosecuted by South Gloucestershire<\/a> Council.<\/p>\n He was found guilty of failing his householder duty of care regarding waste, and handed a \u00a3120 fine, ordered to pay costs of \u00a3770 and a victim surcharge of \u00a348, making a total of \u00a3938.<\/p>\n The court heard that on April 5 this year, a fly-tip was discovered at the end of Coldharbour Farm Lane in Wick, South Gloucestershire, at the point where the lane becomes a bridleway, a scenic rural area enjoyed by ramblers and horse riders. The path was completely by a dumped sofa, soft furnishings, plastics and numerous black bags of household waste.<\/p>\n Correspondence featuring Shaw’s name was found amongst the waste and the council’s environmental enforcement officers contacted him.<\/p>\n Shaw claimed that he had paid cold callers \u00a380 cash to take a sofa and a few bags of household waste away from his home address. He was afforded an opportunity to confirm who had collected his waste as he believed that a van he had seen advertised for sale on Facebook<\/a> was used by the offenders. He failed to provide any details to this effect.<\/p>\n Shaw, of Worrell Road, Frenchay, was interviewed under caution on Yate<\/a> on June 25, where he admitted to failing in his householder duty of care by not checking that he was handing his waste over to a licensed waste carrier and not taking steps to obtain a receipt, nor record any details of the waste carrier and their vehicle.<\/p>\n Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council<\/a>, said: “We all have a responsibility to dispose of our waste in a responsible manner and that includes when dealing with third party waste collectors.<\/p>\n “There are a number of legitimate options for waste removal, including the council’s large household waste collection service. If you hire a third-party to dispose of your waste, always ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate, make a note of their details and ask where the waste is being taken.<\/p>\n “Prosecutions like these protect our environment and create cleaner and safer places for our communities. These are key priorities of the Liberal Democrat\/ Labour<\/a> partnership.”<\/p>\n Residents and businesses are advised to only give their rubbish to an Environment Agency registered waste carrier.<\/p>\n Carry out these simple steps to make sure your waste is disposed of legally:<\/p>\n\n