A man has been ordered to pay more than £500 after pleading guilty to fly-tipping.

Dominic Beale, 28, from Norris Close, London Colney, pleaded guilty to fly-tipping waste at Old Parkbury Lane and was ordered to pay a £295 fine, £85 in costs, a £30 surcharge and £250 in compensation at court today.

In February 2015, Beale was paid to dispose of household items at Hertfordshire County Council’s waste recycling centre in St Albans, by someone who believed that he held a legitimate waste carriers’ licence.

That person was shocked to see police officers arrive at their doorstep, when the dumped waste was traced back to their address.

St Albans Chief Inspector, Ken Townsend, said: “Unfortunately waste from few fly-tipping incidents can be traced back to the person who has actually dumped the rubbish, so I’m pleased in this case, that we have been able to do this and hold someone accountable.

“Fly-tipping causes a lot of upset for landowners when waste is dumped on their property and often leaves them out of pocket, when they have to pay for the waste to be disposed of correctly.

“I hope the fine given out by the court sends out a clear warning to people who are tempted to just dump waste.

"It shows that it could cost them more to dump the waste than dispose of it properly if they’re caught.”

The compensation in this case will be paid to St Albans District Council, which cleared the waste from the roadside.

Councillor Daniel Chichester-Miles, portfolio holder for the environment at St Albans District Council, said: “Fly-tipping harms the landscape and the ecological wellbeing of our countryside.

“It has cost the taxpayer £36,974 to clear from locations around District in the year ending March 31.

"This is money that could have been spent on delivering other services to residents. It is important to remember that it is residents’ responsibility to ensure that excess waste is disposed of correctly at a waste and recycling centre or by someone who holds a waste carriers’ licence.”