Fly-tipping gang members fined as one wears cone on head

A fellow criminal used a face mask with eye holes cut in it to conceal his appearance as he arrived for sentencing.

The two men were part of a group of five who dumped green waste and burnt a fridge when they used the public road as their 'own private dumping ground', a court heard.

Michael Whittaker, 52, of Meadow Close, West Wellow, and Daniel Whittaker, 34, of Magnolia Walk, Abbotswood, appeared in court along with Luke Edwards, 33, of Verwood Road in Wimborne, Dorset; Shane Griggs, 37, of Bracken Road, North Baddesley; and Jason Castle, 28, of Wellow Wood Road, West Wellow.

They committed the offences on an access road leading to Lode Hill Caravan Site near Downton, Salisbury.

On his way into Winchester Crown Court, Edwards wore a traffic cone over his head, while Castle attempted to conceal his identity using two face masks - one with two eye-holes cut into it.

Luke Edwards (Image: Solent News)

All five of the men pleaded guilty to one count each of depositing controlled waste. Three of the men, Whittaker, Griggs and Castle fly-tipped green waste and scrap metal on the lane, while Edwards and Michael Whittaker burnt rubbish including a fridge.

Edwards and Michael Whittaker are directors of Romsey & Chandlers Ford Tree & Landscaping Services. 

Edwards, Griggs and Michael Whittaker were residents at the Lode Hill traveller site at the time of the offences.

Fined £1,200 each

They were each fined £1,200 and ordered to pay between £1,000 and £2,500 in costs for dumping and burning the rubbish between August and September 2017.

The council estimated the cost of cleaning up the whole access road - which had seen fly-tipping from a number of different parties, cost in the region of £42,000.

The court heard the five men worked for various gardening companies and all had links to the caravan site.

The gang was caught in the act dumping and burning rubbish when Wiltshire County Council decided to install covert cameras along the road, and filmed them arriving in various vans before tipping out their contents into the verge.

Filmed setting fridge on fire

On one occasion, Michael Whittaker and Edwards were filmed setting a pile of green waste on fire before lowering a fridge freezer into the flames using a mini digger, the court heard.

As the fridge caught fire, black smoke emerged from the pile releasing a 'cocktail of dangerous gasses' into the air, Syan Ventom, prosecuting, said.

The gang members claimed they were simply dealing with rubbish that had already been dumped on the road by others, and meant to collect the scrap metal at a later date, the court heard.

'Private dumping ground'

As she sentenced the men, Judge Jane Miller told them their actions were 'deeply antisocial' and represented a 'blight on the countryside'.

Judge Miller added: "All of these offences were deliberate.

"Flames were still burning [from the fridge] two hours later.

"You all treated this lane as your own private dumping ground."

All of the men were fined £1,200.

Michael Whitaker and Griggs were ordered to pay £2,500 costs, Castle £1,500 and Edwards and Daniel Whittaker £1,000.

Wiltshire Council says gang was 'prolific'

Councillor Dr Mark McClelland, Cabinet Member for Waste at Wiltshire's council, said: “This organised fly-tipping gang was prolific in destroying the local environment in this area.

"Not only were they avoiding lawful disposal costs by dumping this and not using approved waste sites, but they were also damaging the surrounding areas by burning waste including white goods, which gave off poisonous fumes."