Fly-tipper prosecuted after letters left in road

A fly-tipper who left personal details among rubbish dumped on a grassy area in Wolverhampton has been convicted.

Letters addressed to Manuel Beghian were found among plastic bottles, packaging and a pair of slippers left on a pavement and grass verge in Holcroft Street.

Beghian, from Brown Street in Wolverhampton, was served with a notice to attend an appointment with the city council, but was prosecuted when he did not turn up, the authority said.

He was found guilty in his absence at Dudley Magistrates' Court of one charge of obstruction for failing to comply with investigating officers' requests for assistance and fined £250 as well as being ordered to pay costs of £2,000.

The fly-tipping was reported to the council last July by landowner Midland Heart Housing Association, the city council said.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal said there was "simply no excuse" for dumping waste.

"Anyone thinking of carrying out this unpleasant crime should know that we will do everything we can to track you down," he said.

"You cannot simply ignore us, because we will prosecute - and we will publicise.

"It is really important that we highlight cases such as this. Our crews work extremely hard to keep the city clean and their efforts should not be ruined by these thoughtless individuals."

The costs awarded to the council at the 17 December hearing will be reinvested back into its environmental crime service, the authority said.

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