A MAN who fly-tipped waste next to playing fields has been ordered to pay £1,337.27 by magistrates, says South Lakeland District Council.

Rory Sheehan, 25, of Eggerslack, Grange, pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully depositing controlled waste on land at Mintsfeet Industrial Estate, off Mintsfeet Road, Kendal, adjacent to Jubilee Playing Fields, South Lakeland District Council has reported.

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Following an investigation into the incident the prosecution was brought by (SLDC) under Section 33 (6) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The waste – a large red sofa and an old barbecue – was dumped on 17 March, 2014, said the council.

Sheehan was fined £685 and ordered to pay SLDC’s costs in full of £583.27, plus a victim surcharge of £69 when he appeared at Kendal Magistrates Court yesterday.

Simon Rowley, assistant director for neighbourhood services at SLDC, said the prosecution showed the council takes fly-tipping seriously.

He said: “Fly-tipping is a serious offence that represents a risk to humans and wildlife, as well as costing the taxpayer nationwide more than £44m every year.

“This man could easily have saved himself a lot of money and trouble by simply disposing of the rubbish legally at the proper facilities. We would ask anyone considering fly-tipping to think twice or risk facing a similar penalty themselves.”

Coun Sue Sanderson, South Lakeland District Council’s portfolio holder for Environment and People, said: “It cost the council more than £50,000 of council tax payers’ money last year to deal with fly-tipping.

“I am glad that we have been able to bring a successful prosecution which will go some way to redressing the balance, as well as hopefully deterring others.”

The Environment Agency database that records fly tipping nationally, FlyCapture, uses average costs to establish how much it costs local authorities to remove fly tipping.

According to FlyCapture it cost South Lakeland District Council £30,346 last year to remove the 617 incidents of fly tipping that were reported. Investigations cost a further £21,285.

That means the average cost of each fly-tipping incident dealt with in South Lakeland is £83.68.