A man has been ordered to pay almost £2,000 at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court after waste was found dumped in Bramley. 

Michael Wall, of Middle Ground in Wheatley, Oxford was prosecuted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council and appeared in court on Friday 3 October. He pleaded guilty to failing in his duty of care which led to waste being illegally dumped In Bramley in April 2023.

Mr Wall, who was a Kingsclere resident at the time of the offence, employed an unknown person who knocked on his door offering scrap metal disposal services. He paid £50 for the person to remove scrap metal, plastic drums, wooden boxes and some cardboard packaging but made no attempt to verify the person's details, waste removal licence or company name. Everything apart from the scrap metal was later found dumped in Bramley after being reported by a member of the public.

The magistrates' court ordered Mr Wall to pay a fine of £700, a victim surcharge of £280 and prosecution as well as clear up costs of £1,038.38.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services and Housing Cllr Laura James said: “This case underlines the need for people to take responsibility for their waste disposal and to make sure they check the credentials of those offering to take it away – or they could end up with a criminal record.

 “The illegal dumping of waste is something that our communities rightly feel very strongly about and the time and cost of clearing it up means that our staff are kept from delivering other important front-line services.”

People can find information on how to dispose of unwanted items on the council’s website: www.basingstoke.gov.uk/a-z-waste-and-recycling