Man ordered to pay £4,500 after car caught fly-tipping on hidden cameras

A man has been ordered to pay more than £4,500 after hidden cameras twice caught his car being involved in fly-tipping.

The vehicle registered to Andrew Aulton was twice caught on camera as waste was illegally dumped at Norton Road in Walsall in October and November 2018.

On both occasions the same vehicle was used to dump garden waste, car parts and other rubbish.

Aulton, of Stafford Road, Cannock, was prosecuted by Walsall Council after twice failing to turn up at the council's offices despite being served notice to attend.

And he once again failed to show when the case was heard at Wolverhampton Magistrates’ Court.

In his absence he was fined £3,000, ordered to pay £1,202.81 in costs, and told to fork out £280 towards the clean-up of the site and £150 as a victims’ surcharge.

Councillor Gary Perry, portfolio holder for communities, leisure and culture at the council, said: "Failure to comply with statutory notices is an offence, whether or not Mr Aulton was responsible for the actual dumping of the waste.

"Fly-tipping is a blight on our borough and costs in the region of £500k each year to clean up.

"Legislation that enables officers to investigate and prosecute in this way is a key tool to ensure offenders are brought to justice.

"This is the first prosecution in Walsall under these powers and we will continue to use them where vehicle owners obstruct officers in their investigations."