Man ordered to pay more than £800 after fly-tipping rubbish in Cannock
A fly-tipper has been convicted of dumping office furniture and other rubbish in a field.
John Antill, aged 29, pleaded guilty to two charges relating to the dumping of items in a field from a van registered to him.
The court heard how Antill’s White Ford Transit van was spotted in August 2017 by a man working in a field near to Gains Lane in Little Wyrley, Cannock.
Prosecuting on behalf of Stafford Borough Council, Gary Finn said: “He spotted a van which he thought was suspicious and followed the van.
“He followed it to a gated field and noticed the lock was broken. There he witnesses a man moving items into a field including office furniture, cardboard boxes and sales leaflets. He moved his vehicle in the way of the van but was met with revving of the van’s engine and moved his vehicle out of the way.”
Mr Finn explained that the sales leaflets found bore the name and address of an estate agent’s. Enforcement agents visited the address and found a new business was setting up there.
The new tenants told agents they had paid £90 to a removals firm they found via Facebook. Closer inspection revealed Antill’s girlfriend was the Facebook account contacted.
The van that had been used to dump the waste was also identified as belonging to Antill.
Representing himself, Antill, of Stanwyck, Telford said: “My van was used in the situation. I’m not that kind of person. When I was made aware of what happened, I made efforts to go and move the rubbish.
“One favour ended up two years down the line as me being in court. That’s all I’ve got to say.”
Sentencing Antill at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, Magistrate Joanne Wilkinson, said: “For this offence you will pay a band C fine of £120.”
In total, including costs and victim’s surcharges, Antill was ordered to pay £834.75 at £10 per fortnight.
