Woman ordered to pay £500 after fly-tip discovered

The rubbish was discovered near Andoversford

A woman has been ordered to pay £500 after an unauthorised waste disposer dumped her rubbish in the Cotswolds.

Cotswold District Council prosecuted Terri Winter, of Bourton-on-the-Water, after a fly-tip composed of her waste was discovered near Andoversford.

Ms Winter was found guilty of a breach of duty of care to transfer household waste only to an authorised person after a council investigation.

The council has urged residents to check if the person disposing their rubbish has the correct licence.

The fly-tip consisted of supermarket carrier bags containing dried foods, tins of food, waste food items, children's toys, photographs, and a quantity of cardboard.

At Cheltenham Magistrates' Court on 31 July, Ms Winter was fined £200 and ordered to pay an additional £220 contribution to council costs and a victim surcharge of £80, bringing the total to £500.

She was prosecuted under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Cotswold District Council said people getting waste removed should check with the Environment Agency that the person removing their rubbish is licensed.

Residents should also ask what will happen to the waste, and get a full receipt.

'Clear example'

Kevin Lea, enviro-crime programmes officer at Cotswold District Council, said waste disposal is the responsibility of the person who owns it.

"If your waste is fly-tipped, by you or by someone else on your behalf, you could face a £600 fixed penalty notice," Mr Lea said.

“Clearing fly-tips costs the taxpayers thousands of pounds each year and anyone found will always be prosecuted - this case is a clear example of what will happen when the council traces the waste back."