A SALISBURY businessman has been fined for illegally fly tipping after being caught in the act by covert cameras.

John King, of Redlynch, Salisbury, operating as John’s Tree & Garden Services, pleaded guilty to the offence when appearing at Salisbury Crown Court on Monday (October 23).

The 39-year-old was issued with fines and costs totalling £2,190 after he admitted to dumping a large amount of green waste on an access road to Lode Hill Caravan Site, Salisbury.

When interviewed under caution by Wiltshire Council Environmental Enforcement Officers, he had claimed to be moving other people’s fly-tipped waste.

However, footage captured using the council’s covert cameras had instead caught him travelling along the access road in his vehicle with waste on board.

Four minutes later, he was shown again, travelling with an empty vehicle.

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The access road is a known hotspot for illegal waste dumping.

Cllr Caroline Thomas, cabinet member for transport and Street Scene at Wiltshire Council – which brought the prosecution – said: “Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, which can not only be unsightly on the Wiltshire landscapes, but hazardous to animals and the environment.

“As part of our business plan commitment, we have invested an extra £150,000 this year into our We’re Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) campaign, which has included deploying new technologies such as covert cameras.

“This prosecution shows that our investment in this technology is really paying dividends, with the footage being key in capturing a fly-tipper in action.

“Having the cameras is increasing the team’s ability to conduct larger scale operations, which will hopefully result in more formal action and prosecutions against those who choose to illegally fly-tip their waste in Wiltshire.”

People can report fly-tipping online at My Wilts online reporting, or by calling 0300 456 0100.