AN OXFORD man has been fined more than £3,000 after admitting he dumped rubbish in a drainage ditch in Abingdon.

Andrey Kafica, 28, of Dodgson Road, appeared at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday where he pleaded guilty to one charge of unauthorised depositing of waste and another of transporting a controlled waste without the required registration.

On June 5, 2017 rubbish including garden chairs, wooden frames and cardboard boxes were found in the ditch by Peep O’Day Lane, a popular cycling route.

The waste was traced back to a house in nearby Steventon.

The occupants were interviewed by enforcement officers from Vale of White Horse District Council, who confirmed the rubbish had been removed by a cleaning company.

This was traced back to Kafica through invoices, receipts and photos of the men who had taken it away.

When interviewed by police he admitted he had agreed to take the rubbish away as an additional job which had not been agreed by his employer.

In court Kafica was fined £1,800 and also ordered to pay £1,076.75 costs and £201.42 compensation.

Elaine Ware, Cabinet member for Housing and Environment at Vale of White Horse District Council, said: “Every time a fly-tip occurs on public land it costs the tax payer money to clean up and investigate. 

"Aside from wasting precious time and money it also spoils our landscape and is potentially dangerous to people and wild animals."

She added: “In this case the evidence provided by the occupants was vital in ensuring a successful prosecution. 

"We encourage people to follow this example and ensure they comply with their legal responsibility to retain information showing who is taking their waste away.”