A builder has been fined after waste was found dumped on the site of an illegal traveller encampment at a former sports centre in High Wycombe.

Marius Ciprian Dulan, 41, of Pipewell Road, Carshalton pleaded guilty to crimes relating to fly-tipped waste at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on August 15.

In April last year travellers moved into the building site where the former Wycombe Sports Centre, near Marlow Hill, used to stand.

They moved on a week later – leaving more than 200 tonnes for rubbish behind them, costing the council thousands of pounds worth of taxpayers’ cash to clear up.

Bucks County Council investigators found details in some of the rubbish which was traced back to work carried out at a home in Balham in south London.

The resident living at the address passed on Dulan’s details as the builder who carried out the work and handled the waste, and he was called in for questioning at a London police station.

Dulan denied knowledge of the fly-tipping – claiming he had paid a carrier to dispose of the waste, however admitted he had not made checks required by law to insure they were registered.

Magistrates’ fined Dulan £1,000 for failing in his duty of care regarding the waste and costs were ordered to a total of £1,682.

A victim surcharge of £100 was also imposed.

Wycombe District Council cabinet member for environment, Julia Adey, said: “Unfortunately, this dumping had to be cleared at local taxpayers’ expense as the land is owned by Wycombe District Council.

"The simplest way for builders and householders to avoid being liable like this is to refuse to pay by cash.

“If the builder here had made any kind of traceable payment rather than cash he would have been a witness rather than the defendant, and would have avoided a large fine and a criminal record."

Illegal dumping can be reported at www.fixmystreet.buckscc.gov.uk.