A fly-tipper said he dumped mounds rubbish in a Denham lane because he gambled the cash he'd been given to get rid of legally on fruit machines.

Harry Stubbings, from Harefield, first dumped building and household rubbish, including floor tiles, on the grass verge and footpath in Tilehouse Lane on September 9 last year.

But he returned 10 days later to dump more building waste in the same lane, but this time on a private driveway.

A member of the public saw Stubbings adjusting the load a short distance from the location where he dumped the second load. She reported the incident to Buckinghamshire Council via the Fix My Street online form.

Whilst clearing the second load, Buckinghamshire Council enforcement team officers found evidence linking the waste to an address in Denham and also a vehicle.

With the help of Thames Valley Police, the enforcement team began an investigation which led to Stubbings being identified as the fly-tipper.

He was interviewed and stated that his boss had given him cash to dispose of the waste legally, but he had gambled this on fruit machines, so saw no other option than to dump it.

He also said that he took cash payment from the Denham resident to take their waste away.

The 26-year-old, of Priory Gardens, pleaded guilty to two counts of knowingly causing controlled waste to be deposited on land without the authority of an environmental permit.

At Wycombe Magistrates' Court on February 9, Stubbings was ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work within 12 months and pay £2,266.66 in costs, plus a £95 charge to fund victim services.

The resident from Denham, who failed in their duty of care in checking if Stubbings was a waste carrier, paid a £300 Fixed Penalty, (reduced from £400 as it was paid within 14 days).