A man from High Wycombe has been fined more than £1,000 after leaving commercial waste at a recycling facility in Stokenchurch, as Bucks County Council continues to crackdown on fly tipping.

James Noel Murphy, 38, of Totteridge Road, pleaded guilty at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on July 5 for one fly tipping offence.

The court heard that on November 18 last year a driver saw Murphy leave several wooden pallets on the ground behind containers at the household recycling facility – which was in Mudds Bank at the time.

The witness took a photos of the van, which was emblazoned with a company name, and the company was then contacted and confirmed Murphy was driving the van at the time.

Signs at the recycling facility stated the centre was for residents to dispose of household waste, and any non-recyclables left at the site would be classed as fly-tipping.

During an interview at a police station Murphy admitted he dumped the rubbish – which was business waste – and confirmed he was working alone.

He was fined £90, ordered to pay £1,903 towards prosecution costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Wycombe District Council member for environment, Julia Adey, said: "This man may have convinced himself that dumping his commercial waste next to a residents' recycling facility was different from ordinary fly tipping, but this is a firm reminder that commercial waste must be disposed off properly, and actions such as this will lead to prosecution."

The case was investigated and prosecuted by Buckinghamshire County Council working on behalf of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire.

Illegally dumped waste can be reported to http://old.buckscc.gov.uk/fly