A council worker caught a Northampton man red-handed as he dumped rubbish off a main road in Rugby.
Catalin Gheorghiu, of Great Gull Crescent, Thorplands, was seen throwing rubbish into a bush near the Elliott’s Field retail park in Leicester Road, Rugby.
A member Rugby Borough Council’s environmental protection team spotted Gheorghiu systematically clearing out the boot of his car, throwing litter into the hedge, over a 30-minute period on the afternoon of Saturday, January 12.
Rugby magistrates heard she photographed him before approaching the defendant to ask him what he was doing.
The court heard Gheorghiu had admitted that he had littered, but believed it was not important because the site was regularly fly-tipped.
Gheorghiu was issued a fixed penalty notice and given the option of settling the issue without a court appearance, but did not respond. He also decided not to attend his court hearing and the matter was heard in his absence.
He was fined £660.
Councillor Mark Williams, the council’s portfolio holder for sustainable environment, said: “I congratulate the council’s environmental protection team on seeing this case through and ending it with a successful prosecution. It is never okay to dump rubbish or fly-tip, and neither is there any reason to do so.
“There are ample facilities in Rugby to take waste, and of course the easiest way to get rid of rubbish is to put it in the bin at home. I’m sure Mr Gheorghiu will wish he had done that rather than end up with a criminal record.”