Wiltshire Council has successfully prosecuted a Chiseldon man after he admitted illegally dumping green waste at a known fly-tipping hotspot.
Michael Cole, 74, of The Crescent, appeared at Swindon Magistrates’ Court on 17 July.
He pleaded guilty to fly-tipping near Royal Wootton Bassett, and failing to respond to a legal notice requiring him to identify the driver of a vehicle linked to the offence.
He was ordered to pay a total of £1,928.01, covering the council’s costs for clearing the waste, investigating the incident and bringing the prosecution.
The council’s Environmental Enforcement Team began investigating after a pile of green waste was found on an unnamed road in Bushton in December 2025.
The waste blocked the entrance to a field used regularly by dog walkers and other members of the public, while also restricting access for the landowner.
Wiltshire Council said the location is a known fly-tipping hotspot and is monitored by CCTV cameras.
Officers reviewing the footage saw a white Ford Transit arrive at the site on 30 November 2025. The CCTV showed someone unloading green waste from the back of the vehicle before driving away.
The vehicle was traced to Cole and further enquiries linked it to a gardening and landscaping business.
The council served a legal notice requiring Cole to identify the driver at the time of the offence. Despite being warned that failing to respond was a criminal offence, he did not reply.
Cole later attended an interview under caution in January, where he admitted depositing the green waste and said it had come from his own garden.
He was issued with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice, which would have allowed him to avoid prosecution. After the notice went unpaid, Wiltshire Council began legal proceedings.
Councillor Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways and Streetscene, said: “Far too many people still believe that disposing of green waste in the countryside is harmless, but that simply isn’t the case.
“Whether it’s garden waste, household rubbish or commercial waste, fly-tipping is a criminal offence that damages the environment, detracts from the beauty of Wiltshire’s rural landscapes and can encourage further dumping.
“This case demonstrates the value of our enforcement work and the role that CCTV can play in identifying offenders.
“Wiltshire’s countryside is one of our greatest assets and we will continue to take robust action against anyone who chooses to damage it by dumping waste illegally.”
