Council tax record helps secure fly-tipping fine

A Wolverhampton man wanted in connection with fly tipping near his house was found through his council tax records, the local authority has said.

Kumar Shresta was ordered to pay nearly £4,000 in fines and costs after cardboard packaging and black bags were left on a footpath near his home on Drummond Street in February.

Environmental crime officers helped to identify the 20-year-old as one of the residents but he failed to comply with an investigation.

He was prosecuted in his absence at Dudley Magistrates Court.

Two others, Doina Begian and Ancuta Marcu, were also found guilty of obstructing investigations under the Environment Act 1995 for similar cases.

In April, a person was spotted leaving a home on Dudley Road, then crossing the street to leave black bags next to a litter bin, the council has alleged.

Officers paid a visit to the home in a bid to identify the fly-tipper but residents Begian, 63 and Marcu, 31, "refused to engage" and were ordered to attend the Civic Centre for interview.

Neither of the residents complied and also did not show up for their court appearance on 3 December.

They were ordered to pay £2,076.94 each.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal said: "Fly tipping is a thoughtless and unpleasant crime.

"It is quite clear that if we suspect you of dumping waste, we are going to use all of our powers to track you down."

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