CCTV footage helps prosecute fly-tippers

Nation.Cymru staff

Two people have been successfully prosecuted after separate fly-tipping investigations in which CCTV footage and waste tracking helped identify those responsible.

The cases, brought by Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Environmental Enforcement Team, were heard at Cwmbran Magistrates’ Court following incidents in rural parts of the county during August 2025.

In the first case, a man from Old St Mellons, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to a fly-tipping offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The prosecution followed an investigation into waste dumped on lanes between Michaelstone-y-Fedw and Draethen on August 5, 2025. CCTV footage provided by Draethen, Waterloo and Rudry Community Council helped investigators identify the vehicle involved.

The court heard the defendant had knowingly caused waste to be illegally deposited.

He was ordered to pay a £1,107 fine, prosecution costs of £2,236.76 and £443 towards the cost of removing and disposing of the waste.

In a separate case heard on the same day, the director of a waste company based on Newport Road in Cardiff admitted failing in his duty of care over waste after rubbish collected by the firm was found fly-tipped on Rudry Road, near Rudry Common Car Park, on August 7, 2025.

Investigators found the company had failed to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the waste remained under its control, resulting in it being illegally dumped.

The company was fined £614 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £246, waste removal and disposal costs of £1,812.44, as well as a victim surcharge.

Councillor Philippa Leonard, Caerphilly County Borough Council’s cabinet member for planning and public protection, said: “Fly-tipping is a selfish and unacceptable crime that damages our environment, blights local communities and places a significant financial burden on the council.

“These successful prosecutions demonstrate that we will investigate reports thoroughly and take robust enforcement action where offences are identified.

“I would like to thank our Environmental Enforcement Team and the local community for their support in helping us bring those responsible to justice.

“We would encourage residents to continue reporting incidents and to ensure that anyone they pay to remove waste is properly licensed and authorised to do so.”