Man prosecuted for Weymouth flytipping
Dorset Council investigated after rubbish was left at Gould's HillDr
A man's been found guilty of flytipping in Weymouth, following a public tip-off and an investigation by Dorset Council.
39 year old Daniel James Ellis, formerly of Weymouth, but now living in Leicester, admitted the offence.
Black bin bag, cardboard packaging and a helium balloon gas canister was found dumped at Gould's Hill in February 2022.
It was reported to Dorset Council after a member of the public took a photo of the waste.
An investigation found a local resident had paid Ellis £20 to take the rubbish to a local household recycling centre.
He initially accepted full responsibility and was issued with a fixed penalty notice, but he didn't pay it, even after a reminder.
That led the Council to prosecute, with an arrest warrant issued after Ellis failed to appear in court.
He's now been sentenced to 'time served', having spent 24 hours in police custody, and ordered to pay £520 in costs and £29 compensation.
Cllr Laura Beddow, Dorset Council’s Portfolio Holder for Culture, Communities and Customer Services, said:
“I want to thank the witness for reporting this fly-tip to us directly, and with photographic evidence. This allowed us to act quickly, investigate the mess and take the appropriate action. By working together with the public, we can make a bigger impact and help get to grips with this illegal activity.
"If you see a fly-tip, please make a note of where it is, take a picture if you can, and note down any other details. Never touch the waste or confront fly-tippers. You can report it to us via the website, or by giving us a call. Where there is sufficient evidence, we will investigate all reported fly-tipping incidents and attempt to trace and prosecute anyone found to be fly-tipping on public land.
"Well done to everyone involved with this successful prosecution, which I hope is seen as a clear demonstration of how seriously we’re taking fly-tipping in Dorset.”