A SALISBURY man received a hefty fine after he dumped household waste and furniture in a communal bin store at a block of flats.

This comes after Wiltshire Council’s environmental enforcement team received a tip off about the fly tipping offence in December 2024.

Officers found a rolled-up mattress, a sofa, chairs and a table that had been placed in the store, along with a children’s bicycle and a suitcase.

A witness identified Radu Marton, of Tollgate Road as the man responsible.

He was interviewed under caution and was issued a £1,000 fixed penalty notice (FPN). But as this fine was not paid, the council pursued prosecution.

Marton appeared at Salisbury Magistrates Court last Thursday (September 25) where he pleaded guilty. He was fined a total of £1,090, including costs and a victim surcharge.

The resident who assisted the investigation is set to be rewarded with high street vouchers as part of the council’s ‘We’re Targeting Fly-tippers’ campaign.

Councillor Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, streetscene and flooding, said: “There is really no excuse for fly-tipping, and that is why we are committed to holding any offenders accountable.

“Mr Marton had several lawful options to dispose of his unwanted furniture, including donating items for reuse at his local household recycling centre or using our large item collection service.

“Instead, he chose to dump them in a communal bin store, causing disruption for other residents and committing a criminal offence.

“People who are caught fly-tipping can be issued with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice or be taken to court, where they could face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

“Mr Radu could have avoided the court action by paying his fixed penalty notice but failed to do so – leaving us no choice but to take legal action.

“I’d like to thank the resident who assisted us and helped us bring this case to court. I encourage anyone who spots a fly-tip in the county, or someone disposing of their waste illegally, to report it to us using MyWilts.

“In doing so, they could receive a reward of up to £200 in gift vouchers if the information they provide leads to a successful prosecution, or a fixed penalty notice being paid.”

Wiltshire Council and some charities can collect bulky items such as furniture, carpets and bicycles from properties for reuse.

For more information, people can visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/article/10478/Large-item-reuse-and-collection.

Good quality reusable items can also be donated to a household recycling centre for reuse; find out more at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/donate-your-items-to-a-hrc.

To find out more about how the council is tackling fly-tipping in Wiltshire and how to report fly-tipping, people should visit www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping.