A 36-year-old man from Ipswich has been prosecuted for fly-tipping just outside the town during 2016.

Ipswich Star: Rubbish found at Bullen Lane in Bramford.Rubbish found at Bullen Lane in Bramford. (Image: Archant)

Tommy Gorham, of Upper Orwell Street, appeared before magistrates in Ipswich charged with four waste offences committed during 2016, including illegally fly-tipping waste in Bullen Lane, Bramford and Church Lane, Sproughton.

Gorham attended court and pleaded guilty to all four charges. He was fined £400, ordered to pay £590 clearance costs and £1,150 investigation and legal costs – a total of £2,140.

The first incident took place in January 2016, when a large amount of household and building waste was found to have been dumped on farmland in Bramford.

Documents addressed to Gorham, or to properties which he owned, were found among the waste. As a person responsible for renting out properties, Gorham had a legal “duty of care” to ensure that all waste from his business was disposed of correctly and that Waste Transfer Notes were retained.

The second incident took place in February 2016 when a large van load of household waste was found to have been fly-tipped in Sproughton.

Once again, a piece of correspondence linked to a property owned by Gorham was found in the waste.

Officers invited Gorham to an interview under caution, but after he repeatedly failed to attend he was arrested and interviewed at the Police Investigation Centre in Martlesham.

Gorham denied dumping the waste at the locations.

He was unable to account for how he dealt with waste arising from his rental properties, nor produce any paperwork for the waste, despite being issued with a notice to do so and having previously been advised about his responsibilities in relation to waste disposal in 2013.

James Buckingham, Corporate Manager – Sustainable Environment, for both councils, said: “We are pleased with the outcome of this case, whereby a prolific fly-tipper has been brought to justice.”

John Ward, Babergh’s Portfolio Holder for Environment, commented: “Church Lane in Sproughton has been a historic hot-spot for fly-tipping within the district, and so we are particularly pleased to have once again caught someone offending at this location”.