A man who opportunistically collected waste from building projects and house renovations as a way to make a quick profit has been given a huge fine after he was caught dumping it all in fields and on council land.
Daniel Morris, 29, from Feltham, collected waste, including electrical items, furniture and kitchen units, doors, beds, fridges and building waste from various residential premises and dumped it – without permission - wherever he could.
This included in private gateways, fields and council land in Weeden Hill in Little Missenden, the A355 Amersham Road and Gore Hill in Amersham.
On one occasion, Morris broke into a private gateway and dumped the waste in a farmer’s field.
He would often opportunistically approach the occupiers of properties where he saw building works were already taking place to offer his waste disposal services.
Morris was linked to the fly-tipping crimes in several ways.
In four of the five instances, he gave his personal name and mobile number to the resident and used WhatsApp, allowing the witnesses to provide photos of Mr Morris to the council’s enforcement team.
Morris, who also drove a distinctive Ford Transit style caged silver tipper van, turned up to his interview under caution with the council, in the offending vehicle.
The fly-tipping happened between April and August 2021.
Buckinghamshire Council’s enforcement team carries out regular surveillance at one of the locations Morris was targeting because it is heavily blighted with fly-tipping.
On one of the occasions Morris’ vehicle was captured at the location where roughly 15-20 fridges were dumped in a private gateway.
The surveillance camera showed Morris’ vehicle to be the only vehicle stopping in the gateway the night the dumping took place.
Morris pleaded guilty at Wycombe Magistrates Court on Wednesday, June 29, to dumping five large loads of waste.
Magistrates fined him £250 and ordered him to pay clean up costs of £1,500. A victim surcharge was also added, making a total to pay of £1,784.
Cllr Gareth Williams, the cabinet member for climate change and environment at Bucks Council, said: “This case highlights the dangers of paying an unlicensed waste carrier.
"You don’t know how they are going to dispose of your waste and the chances are, they will do so unlawfully.
"Not only could your actions lead to you being prosecuted as well, by using rogue traders like this you could indirectly be allowing fly-tipping to happen in your community.
"The safest thing is always to use a reputable collector, check their details and never, ever pay them in cash."
To report fly-tipping visit www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/fixmystreet
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