A Swindon man has been fined £1,000 after fly-tipping household waste in the Wiltshire countryside.
Wiltshire Council prosecuted Luiz Martinelli, of Temple Street after dumping bed bases, mattresses, and a bedside cabinet at the entrance to a field on Marlborough Road near Royal Wootton Bassett in October 2025.
He appeared at Swindon Magistrates' Court on Friday, September 18, where he pleaded guilty to depositing controlled waste on land without an environmental permit.
Martinelli must pay a total of £2,400, which includes court costs and a victim surcharge.
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David Bullock, director of assets, highways and waste at Wiltshire Council, said: "There's simply no excuse for dumping waste in our countryside.
"Not only does fly-tipping damage the environment and spoil our rural landscapes, it also leaves taxpayers footing the bill for clearing it up.
"In this case, the evidence led directly to the offender, who then admitted responsibility for the waste.
"He was given the opportunity to resolve the matter through a fixed penalty notice but failed to do so, and so we took the case to court."
Environmental enforcement officers attended the scene, were able to link the waste to Mr Martinelli and invited him to attend an interview under caution.
After failing to attend two scheduled interviews, he eventually attended a third, where he admitted the waste was his and took responsibility for dumping it.
He was issued a £1,000 fixed penalty notice, but failed to pay, leading to prosecution.
Mr Bullock added: "We will continue to pursue fly-tippers wherever the evidence takes us.
"If you choose to dump waste illegally in Wiltshire, you should expect to face enforcement action and potentially prosecution through the courts."
To find out more about how the council is tackling fly-tipping in Wiltshire, or to report an incident, visit the website www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping
This prosecution comes shortly after Wiltshire Council fined four people £1,000 each for dumping household and garden waste near Stonehenge.
The council’s environmental enforcement team investigated two separate incidents using covert cameras, which helped identify those responsible - two people from Salisbury and two others from Amesbury.
Since then, the council has increased the maximum fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping from £1,000 to £5,000 in line with new government guidance.
Mr Bullock added: "This will help ensure offenders face tougher penalties and are held accountable for their actions."
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