Three fly-tippers in west Suffolk are facing up to hefty fines after the region’s councils brought successful prosecutions against them.

Two men from Mildenhall and a company based in Watton pleaded guilty at Bury St Edmunds Magistrates’ Court this week after prosecution by St Edmundsbury and Forest Heath councils.

Two of the cases resulted from waste being given to third parties before subsequently being found fly-tipped.

In both cases, no checks had been made to establish if those third parties were registered to carrier waste or where they were taking the waste for disposal.

Nigel Roman, Forest Heath‘s cabinet member for environment, said: “It is important that people are aware that the law reflects their responsibility in starving rogue traders of their source of waste.

“If you ask a tradesperson to dispose of waste on your behalf, you must ask to see their waste carriers licence and assure yourself that they will comply with the law.”

D.E. Panels Ltd of Watton, Norfolk, was accused of duty-of-care offences when transferring controlled waste to a third party for disposal, which resulted in 40 paint tins being fly-tipped at Coney Weston.

Company director David Pariser pleaded guilty to both offences.

His company was fined £500 and ordered to pay the council’s costs of £612.50 and a victim surcharge of £50 – a total of £1,162.

David Hines, of Mildenhall, was also accused of a duty-of-care offence when transferring controlled waste to a third party for disposal, which was then fly-tipped at Beck Row.

Mr Hines pleaded guilty and was fined £300. He was also ordered to pay the council’s costs of £584.45 and victim surcharge of £30 – a total of £914.49.

The third case was brought against a fly-tipper.

Nigel McLaughlin, of Mildenhall, was accused of a fly-tipping offence carried out at Lakenheath on August 22, 2013, when he fly-tipped a large amount of books, cardboard boxes and a broken bookcase on land at Highbridge Gravel Drove, Lakenheath.

McLaughlin was fined £300, ordered to pay the council’s costs of £400 and a victim surcharge of £30, bringing his total costs up to £730.

Peter Stevens, St Edmundsbury’s cabinet member for environment, said: “Fly-tipping is illegal, unsightly and unfair. It puts others to the substantial expense of clearing up the waste, the unnecessary contamination and making good.”

To report any fly-tipping, email waste.management@westsuffolk.gov.uk or call the West Suffolk waste management department on 01284 757320.