A 48-year-old man has been fined almost £2,000 for a “spur-of-the-moment” decision to dump furniture in a country lane.

David James Thomas, of Cherry Tree Road, Beaconsfield, was caught on CCTV fly-tipping in Mumfords Lane, Chalfont St Peter, on August 17 last year.

He was traced through his van registration.

Thomas told police he had dumped two wooden chairs “stupidly on the spur-of-the-moment” while taking a short cut to work.

He was fined £790 and ordered to pay £863 of prosecution costs, as well as a victim surcharge of £79, making the total £1,732.

Chiltern District Council’s cabinet member for environment Mike Smith, speaking on behalf of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, said: “This man admitted to a stupid act. He dumped two wooden chairs rather than taking them to the household recycling centre, and ended up paying out £1,732 and getting a criminal record for what was a fairly small amount of waste.

“Our fly tipping surveillance cameras are very effective at collecting evidence of illegal dumping in Buckinghamshire, and we'll take people to court whenever possible.

“Better by far to use the county’s household recycling centres, which are free to householders.”