A MAN who owned a van used to fly tip about 80 tyres was handed a £300 fine by magistrates.

The van belonging to Jobe Clark, of Audley Drive, Kidderminster, was loaded with tyres and seen driving past private flats off Stanklyn Lane, Summerfield.

It went to garages at the rear of the flats and returned a few minutes later empty.

Wychavon District Council was called to the private flats to reports of a pile of approximately 80 tyres.

The 45-year-old was invited for formal interview on two separate occasions but failed to attend.

At Worcester Magistrates Court he stated he was not driving the vehicle on the day in question but accepted he had a duty of care as the owner of the vehicle to ensure no offences would be committed by the people he employed to drive the vehicle.

Clark was fined £300 and ordered to pay £585 court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

He must also pay £200 compensation to Summerfield’s Residents Company for the cost of having them removed.

Wychavon District Council also secured a second successful prosecution of a guilty plea of section 34 Environmental Duty of Care Offence.

The council had discovered a fly tip of waste with an address in London.

Further investigations found Luke Smith, of Woodmans Green, Westlands, Droitwich,had been working in the building in London and had taken the waste home.

The 27-year-old said he left the waste by his car on his return home and somebody had picked it up and fly tipped it about a mile from his home.

Initially, Smith was offered a Fixed Penalty Notice but he declined the offer stating he was not guilty of any offence.

However, at court he pleaded guilty and was fined £100 and ordered to pay £300 court costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

Dave Roberts, environmental crime enforcement officer for Wychavon, said: “Everyone has a duty of care regarding their waste and needs to ensure it’s dealt with carefully.

“We are repeatedly told that fly tipping is an important issue to the residents of Wychavon and we’re committed to tackling people that fly tip and don’t dispose of their waste properly.”