A DELIVERY driver has been fined for illegally disposing of waste found dumped in Hereford last year.

Alexandru Lucian Croitoru, 23, of Grandstand Road, Hereford, pleaded guilty to depositing controlled waste without a licence and failing to secure the transfer of waste to an authorised person.

Hereford Magistrates Court heard that Croitoru fly tipped four loads of household waste at the Holmer Trading Estate in December 2018.

Paperwork found in the mass of rubbish led Herefordshire Council’s waste enforcement officers to Croitoru, who was working as a delivery driver at the time.

He initially claimed that he had paid a man with a van to take his waste away, but tracking on Croitoru’s work van revealed that he made four separate journeys after dark to Holmer Trading Estate between November 1 and December 7 2018.

Croitoru failed to co-operate with the investigation, and his employer confirmed that the journeys made to Holmer Trading Estate were not related to his line of work.

He was handed a £300 fine, and was ordered to pay compensation of £50, costs of £150 and a £30 victim surcharge.

David Hough, Herefordshire Council’s Trading Standards Service Manager said: “Everyone has a legal ‘duty of care’ to make sure their household or business waste is disposed of correctly.

"This case shows that Herefordshire Council takes fly tipping seriously, and we will always take action against any householder or business that illegally disposes of their waste or does not ensure that their waste is collected by a registered waste carrier.

"We would encourage anybody who sees fly tipping in action to report the details directly to Herefordshire Council."

The maximum penalty for fly tipping is a £50,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment.

All householders have a duty of care to ensure that the waste they produce is disposed of correctly and they have documentation to show who they have transferred the waste to and keep those records for at least 2 years.

Herefordshire Council’s Community Protection Team will investigate fly tipping which is reported by calling 01432 261761 or online at www.herefordshire.gov.uk/flytipping