Landscape gardener sentenced for fly-tipping

A landscape gardener has been ordered to pay more than £2,500 in fines and costs for illegally dumping waste from his business.

Police had to wake up residents when a bonfire of Shaun Smith's rubbish was discovered in Hereford, fearing their homes could catch fire.

Smith, of Putson Avenue in Hereford, admitted three charges before the city's magistrates of fly-tipping and failing to use an authorised waste service.

The offences for which he was fined covered an eight-month period.

The court heard how police discovered Smith's waste on fire in a field behind the Grafton Travelodge hotel in November 2022.

Community protection officers from Herefordshire Council subsequently found piles of bricks, tyres, white goods and other waste.

Smith, 52, was then caught the following month unloading further waste from his flatbed vehicle.

Officials said he could provide no evidence as to where he had disposed of his business waste for the previous two years.

Smith, who traded as Garden and Landscape Services, was fined £733, and ordered to pay £1,500 in costs and a £293 victim surcharge.

Charles Yarnold from Herefordshire Council said: “Fly tipping is a serious environmental hazard and a blight on our beautiful county.

He added that businesses must dispose of waste legally, and keep records of how they had done so.

"Anyone found fly tipping waste will be prosecuted," Mr Yarnold said.

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