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A crackdown by MOD Police (MDP) on fly-tipping on Salisbury Plain has resulted in two more successful prosecutions.

Officers have been targeting people who have been abusing public access to MOD property to dump their unwanted rubbish.

The latest prosecutions were made after bags of household rubbish were found dumped on land which is part of the Army Training Area.

A 22-year-old man was fined £500 at Salisbury Magistrates Court on Wednesday 23 April 2008 after pleading guilty to an offence under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act.

And a 33-year-old man was also recently fined £500 at the same court for dumping bin bags of rubbish at Tottenham Wood. He also pleaded guilty.

Sergeant Mark Venning, of MOD Police, said: "This training area land is used for Army exercises but the MOD also recognises there are rights of way the public can enjoy.

"So it is a shame that a small number of persistent perpetrators are abusing that opportunity to dump rubbish and spoil the enjoyment of the environment for everyone.

"These two offenders could easily have avoided their fines by taking their household waste to a Local Authority refuse site but their laziness ended up costing them a significant sum.

"Their prosecutions should act as a warning to other potential offenders that we are alert to such activities and will use all the means at our disposal to ensure that any illegal activity will not go unpunished."

Anyone with information about illegal activity on MOD land in the Salisbury Plain area can call Plainwatch on 01980 674700 or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

12:24pm Friday 2nd May 2008

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