Aldermaston fly tipper fined

Hedge cuttings were dumped in front of nearby garages in Baughurst

THE owner of a tipper truck used to fly-tip hedge cuttings in a garage block has been ordered to pay £390.

Dean James Smith, of Oldstocks Farm, Paices Hill, Aldermaston, pleaded not guilty to the offence at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, February 20.

At the trial, the court heard that a member of the public witnessed the hedge cuttings being fly-tipped from Smith’s tipper truck in Forest Close, Baughurst, on June 24 last year.

The 36-year-old denied he had dumped the green waste himself and claimed that a colleague used the tipper truck on that date and should have taken the hedge cuttings to another garage block owned by his wife.

He refused to name the colleague.

Magistrates found that Smith did not take any reasonable precautions to prevent the fly-tip and was therefore guilty of the offence as he controlled the use of the vehicle at the time of the offence.

He was fined £180 and ordered to pay £180 towards prosecution costs, plus a £30 victim surcharge.

The case was brought by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council.

Cabinet member for environment and enforcement Hayley Eachus said: “We take a zero tolerance approach towards fly-tipping and have convicted 17 individuals for fly-tipping offences since May 2018.

“This prosecution would not have been possible without the evidence of the witness.

“We are seeing more and more witnesses coming forward to support our prosecutions which is very positive.

“We encourage people to report these offences by calling (01256) 844844 or visiting www.basingstoke.gov.uk/flytipping to assist our investigations and to stamp out this crime.”