A builder has been fined more than £2,000 after he illegally dumped waste in a south Bucks field.

Fernando Dos Reis Serrao, of Derrington Road, Tooting, dumped an “enormous” amount of rubbish in a field of Rectory Lane, Denham, in March this year.

The 36-year-old was caught after investigators found evidence leading to Serrao in the pile of rubbish.

In court he admitted he had employed the services of an “opportunist” waste removal operator to remove and dispose of waste that he had generated at a site he was working at in West London.

He claimed that he was shown waste carrier documentation, but took little interest and did not check if the individual was registered with the Environment Agency as an authorised carrier. No paperwork was completed.

He was fined £800 and ordered to pay £500 of costs incurred by Bucks County Council as well as a victim surcharge of £80. He was also ordered to pay £653 compensation to the victim in this case, the owner of the land who has been left with a large bill to clear the site.

He paid a total of £2,033.

South Bucks District Council cabinet member for environment Luisa Sullivan, speaking on behalf of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, said: “Both householders and small businesses have got to cut off the supply of waste to these unscrupulous opportunist waste carriers.

“If the transfer of waste is done properly, the chances of the waste being fly tipped is greatly reduced. If someone uses an unlicensed waste carrier, the chances of the waste being fly tipped are greatly increased – and they should be prepared to face the consequences.”