Cristian Costache left household rubbish, domestic building waste, car parts and white goods in the car park at the rear of Ghales Café, Finchfield Road West.  

He was seen fly tipping from a white van at around 6.30pm by a witness who reported it to police. Officers then contacted the council’s environmental crime team.

Costache was interviewed by the team and during the course of the investigations, it became clear that he had also been involved in a similar incident in South Staffordshire.

The council’s environmental crime team used its powers to seize the vehicle Costache used to fly tip and take it off the road. It was held for more than seven months while investigations were completed, and a subsequent prosecution carried out.

Costache, of Carter Road, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to fly tipping at Dudley Magistrates Court on October 2. He was fined £933, ordered to a pay a victim surcharge of £373 and costs of £2,412.44.

The offence in Wolverhampton took place on 27 February 2024, the day after Costache had been seen dumping rubble at Wergs Fishery in Codsall.

South Staffordshire District Council officers investigated that incident and during a separate hearing, the court imposed a fine, costs and victim surcharge totalling £2,482.

The costs awarded to City of Wolverhampton Council will be reinvested back into its environmental crime service, helping to bring people to justice who fail to dispose of their waste correctly.

The recent prosecution supports ongoing work under the council’s Shop a Tipper campaign where anyone suspected of dumping rubbish will have their images shared to appeal for information to help identify them.

If the information provided leads to successful identification and Fixed Penalty Notices are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card.

Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information or report online at www.shopatipper.com

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “We will not stand by and see thoughtless criminals turn our city into a rubbish tip.

“Fly tipping is a deeply unpleasant crime and we will not hesitate to investigate and prosecute anyone who dumps their waste in our streets.

“It’s action like this, alongside our dedicated Shop a Tipper work, that shows we are sending a strong message to fly tippers. We would encourage residents to contact us with any information so we can continue to clamp down on offenders.”

Residents are reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open seven days a week from 8am – 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.

A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/book-bulky-item-collection