A St Albans man has been successfully prosecuted for fly-tipping offences.

Martin Ballard, 63, of Hunter’s Ride, Bricket Wood, pleaded guilty to offences under section 34(1) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and was fined a total of £640 by West Hertfordshire Magistrates in Watford.

The prosecution related to an incident in December last year, when Ballard was managing building works in Seaton Road, London Colney, and authorised an unknown man to remove building waste without obtaining a waste transfer note or a receipt for the waste.

The waste was later found dumped on Hixberry Lane, St Albans.

Having considered the new environmental sentencing guidelines, the court fined Mr Ballard £334. He was also ordered to pay £110 costs, £163 compensation to the council for the costs of removing the waste and a victim surcharge of £33.

Cllr Daniel Chichester-Miles said: “The council is determined to protect them from fly-tipping and other illegal activities. We treat this problem very seriously and will seek to prosecute anyone responsible for fly-tipping waste.”

If you witness fly-tipping taking place, call the police on 999. If you discover fly-tipped waste after it has been dumped, call the hotline 01727 819598 or email the details to a.cleanerdistrict@stalbans.gov.uk.