Fly-tipper hurled tyres from van (From Swindon Advertiser)

Fly-tipper hurled tyres from van

4:40pm Monday 22nd December 2008

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A MAN from Faringdon has been told to pay more than £1,000 in costs, after being convicted of dumping rubbish.

Graham Illing, of Buckland, Faringdon, was sentenced at Didcot Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, December 11 after being convicted of fly-tipping on land at Cumnor Road, Filchampstead, on April 16 this year.

Mr Illing, who had denied the offence, was found guilty after magistrates heard evidence from the Vale of White Horse District Council that he had been the registered keeper of the vehicle involved at the time the offence took place, and was therefore responsible for the fly-tipping.

He was ordered to carry out a 12- month community order, including 60 hours of unpaid work, and pay £1,000 in costs after being found guilty of fly-tipping.

The court had heard that on April 16 a member of the public, walking near his home, grew suspicious after seeing a van driving slowly along the road.

Worried about what the driver was up to, the witness went back to his house, got into his car and followed the van.

As he came up behind the van, he saw that tyres were being thrown out of the side door. The witness then noted down the registration and make of the van.

He found about 15 tyres had been dumped along the roadside.

The following morning he discovered that there were actually as many as 40, as well as a further 20 tyres that had been dumped in a gateway.

The witness reported the incident to the Vale of White Horse District Council’s environment warden, who got photographic evidence of the dozens of dumped tyres.

The warden checked the vehicle’s registration details and confirmed that Mr Illing was the registered keeper.

He was interviewed on May 2 and denied fly-tipping the tyres or being the owner of the vehicle on the date in question, claiming that he had sold the vehicle to two men who paid £125, but he was unable to provide any evidence.

By law the registered keeper of a vehicle is responsible for it, and Illing did not provide evidence that he was not keeper at the time the incident took place.

Warden Colin Marshall said: “This was a deliberate and malicious act of vandalism in an area of natural beauty.

“Graham Illing showed a total lack of regard for those living in the area where the tyres were dumped, as well as the taxpayer who had to foot the bill for the removal.”

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