Gosport man told to pay £1,000 for fly-tipping after dumping 'harmful' waste in Fareham
A Gosport man has been told to cough up over £1,000 for fly-tipping after he dumped potentially harmful rubbish having been paid by a customer unaware of his devious plan.
Stuart Smith, 33, was paid to collect and remove the waste from the unsuspecting customer in Fareham before he dumped it illegally in Privett Road in June 2023.
But Smith, of Tudor Close, was caught out for his crime - landing him an appearance at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court. The court heard how Fareham Borough Council enforcement officers attended the scene where the waste was obstructing residential garages and had the “potential to pose a risk of harm to residents”.
Smith pleaded guilty to fly-tipping and for collecting the waste without a valid licence. He was sentenced to an 18-month community order with 150 hours of unpaid work and was told to stump up £1,086.23. This was for a court surcharge, costs and compensation which included to the council for removing the waste and to the victim who paid Smith to remove it.
Member for health and public protection, councilor Joanne Burton, said: “This is a great outcome for the council, and we hope that it will act as a deterrent for others who may be tempted to offend.
“Fly-tipping is unacceptable, and a blight on our beautiful borough. This outcome is testament to the painstaking hard work of our officers. However, this is a task that should never have needed to be done and that is why we will do everything in our power to prosecute fly-tipping offenders in Fareham.”