Prolific Aylesbury flytipper in last chance saloon after being caught dumping again

Anthony Andrew Richards, 35, of Somerville Way was found guilty of dumping waste illegally at Pearson Close, Aylesbury, in October 2017.

Magistrates at High Wycombe were told how an enforcement officer from the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire saw a Ford Transit tipper truck laden with waste parked in Glaven Road, Aylesbury.

Aware that the vehicle had previously been used in connection with illegal dumping, the officer took a photograph of the vehicle and its contents and circulated it to his colleagues in case they later found the waste illegally dumped.

Later in the month another enforcement officer found waste which seemed to match the circulated image.

When comparing the two photos, he noticed that the materials appeared to be the same, and even the relative positions of the dumped items matched the way they had been loaded on the back of the truck.

Richards was traced as the registered user of the vehicle and after refusing the invitation of an interview he was issued with a court summons.

Taking into account previous convictions for fly tipping given between 2015 and 2017, District Judge Dodds sentenced Richards to 60 days in jail.

The sentence was suspended for 12 months on condition that Richards carried out 40 hours unpaid work in the community.

It was noted during sentencing that Richards still owed the courts a considerable sum from earlier prosecutions, so he was ordered to pay clean-up compensation totalling £420 for the case.

The judge then told Richards that if he committed any more fly-tipping offences he would be sent to prison.

Aylesbury Vale District Council cabinet member for environment and leisure Cllr Paul Irwin said: "This man's suspended sentence means that he will go to prison if he's caught fly tipping again.

"Repeat offenders such as this are responsible for a great deal of the illegal dumping in Bucks, and I'd like to remind anyone disposing of waste of their duty to use only legitimate licensed carriers."

Since November 2003, the Waste Partnership has secured more than 690 fly tipping convictions.

Illegal waste dumping can be reported at www.fixmystreet.buckscc.gov.uk