A BUSINESSMAN has been fined for dumping his rubbish on the A303 near Winterbourne Stoke.

Mohammed Hawkar, of Wicker Hill, Trowbridge, pleaded guilty to fly-tipping rubbish on the public highway at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Friday, November 8.

He was slapped with a £3,950 court bill, including costs and compensation.

Magistrates were told that Wiltshire Council had received a report of fly-tipping in a layby off the A303, which consisted of a van-load of cardboard boxes.

The waste was traced to a business in Yeovil, where the business owner identified the waste as his – but explained he had loaned his vehicle to Hawkar to move furniture.

The van was full of business waste when it was taken away, but Hawkar returned it empty.

The council’s environment enforcement team then traced Hawkar and prosecuted him for fly-tipping.

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Councillor Nick Holder, Wiltshire's cabinet member for highways, flooding and street scene, said: “We are committed to tackling fly-tipping in Wiltshire and as this case shows, our environment enforcement officers will pursue offenders as part of our zero-tolerance approach to environmental crime.

“Anyone caught fly-tipping can be ordered to pay a £1,000 fixed penalty notice or be taken to court, where they could face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

“Our message is clear: We’re Targeting Fly-tippers in Wiltshire and we will fine or prosecute anyone caught illegally dumping rubbish in our beautiful county.”