A man who fly-tipped in Dorchester has been prosecuted.

Richard Dunn, 42, of Weymouth, pleaded guilty at Poole Magistrates Court on August 2 to dumping stones and gravel on a verge at the side of an unnamed road at Woodsford in April last year.

The incident was captured on a passing cyclist's handlebar-mounted video camera. He reported it to Dorset Council and provided footage, as well as a supporting statement.

The cyclist came round a bend in the road and passed a car that had stopped in a pull in where they saw Mr Dunn stood by the vehicle pouring something onto the verge out of a bag.

After turning and cycling back, the witness noticed the couple getting back into the car. The cyclist called out, 'that's not being fly-tipped, is it mate?', to which Mr Dunn replied, 'it's stones' before driving away.

The video clearly showed the vehicle's number plate, enabling waste enforcement officers to contact Dorset Police and find out the driver's address.

Initial attempts to contact Mr Dunn in person were unsuccessful. When he eventually contacted the waste enforcement team, he confirmed he was in the area at the time of the incident but claimed he had been out delivering leaflets on behalf of Resin World Driveways.

Mr Dunn claimed the boot of the vehicle had come undone and leaflets had spilled out. At the time the cyclist spoke to him, Mr Dunn claimed he was clearing up the leaflets and denied fly-tipping, despite being informed that the camera footage showed him with a bag and gravel at his feet.

On May 12, 2021, a fixed penalty notice (FPN) was issued to the defendant for the fly-tipping offence requiring the payment of £400 within 14 days, or £200 is paid within 10 days. Following non-payment, on June 7 a final reminder was issued.

No payment for the FPN was received, so waste enforcement and legal team officers were left with little option but to prosecute Mr Dunn. He was summoned to attend court on Tuesday, June 14 but failed to show up, resulting in a warrant without bail being issued.

Mr Dunn was subsequently arrested and appeared in Poole Magistrates Court on August 2, where he pleaded guilty to violating Section 33 (1)(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Considering r Dunn is in receipt of benefits and spent 24 hours in custody, the court sentenced him to pay £479, including a £150 fine, costs of £300 and £29 compensation.