A Wiltshire driver who claimed he threw rubbish out of his car window after he was stung by a wasp has been fined £1,000 for fly-tipping.
The man was caught dumping pieces of polystyrene into a hedgerow while driving along a lane in Warminster in June.
A local resident witnessed the incident and captured the offence on CCTV before reporting it to Wiltshire Council.
The driver was seen throwing the waste from his passenger-side window without stopping to collect it.
Around half an hour later, the witness returned to the scene, recovered the discarded polystyrene and contacted the council.
During an interview under caution, the man admitted throwing the material from his vehicle but claimed he had been trying to escape a wasp.
He told investigators he had been taking the polystyrene to a household recycling centre when the insect emerged from the waste and stung him on the leg.
The driver claimed he began throwing pieces of polystyrene out of the window while continuing along the road in an attempt to get rid of the wasp.
In an unusual attempt to support his explanation, he even brought the dead wasp to his interview and showed officers what he claimed was the sting on his leg.
Despite his account, Wiltshire Council issued him with a £1,000 fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping.
The man cannot be named as the penalty was issued outside of court and does not amount to a criminal conviction.
Councillor Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding, said: “This is certainly one of the more unusual explanations our enforcement team has heard, but it does not change the fact that waste was deliberately thrown from a vehicle and left in the countryside.
“Fly-tipping and littering blight our communities, damage the environment and create unnecessary clean-up costs.
“We are grateful to the witness who took the time to report this incident and provide evidence.
“This case shows that if you dispose of waste irresponsibly, we will investigate and take appropriate action.”
The resident who reported the incident received a £100 shopping voucher through the council’s We’re Targeting Fly-tippers (WTF) campaign.
The scheme rewards people who provide information that helps the council investigate fly-tipping offences.
Residents are encouraged to report incidents and provide photographs, video footage or vehicle registration details where possible.
Fly-tipping can be reported at www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping.
