Happy Dumper
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2016 11:25 pm
A man caught in a "one in a million" photo "joyously" dumping a dishwasher at the side of a road has been ordered to pay more than £1,200 by a court.
Richard Weston had previously dumped waste in the same spot in Derbyshire six times, so the council set up a motion-activated camera to catch him.
The council's environmental health manager said it was "a really dopey thing to do".
Weston admitted depositing controlled waste without an environmental permit.
Richard Weston looked in the direction of the camera, but did not realise he was being photographed
Matt Holford, South Derbyshire District Council's environmental health manager, described one of the photos as "a one in a million".
"It's extraordinary. He obviously didn't spot the camera," said Mr Holford.
"It almost looks like he is joyously throwing machine parts into the hedge."
The camera did not capture Weston's car registration plate the first time he was photographed, but he returned to dump yet more waste and was then traced through the number.
Richard Weston went back to dump waste an eighth time, and was then traced through his car registration plate
When interviewed he said he had salvaged parts from old dishwashers and sold them online as a hobby to earn a bit of extra money.
"One of the hilarious things about it was that during interview, under caution, he almost gave an impression he didn't think it was a problem because every time he dumped something it would disappear," said Mr Holford.
"I think he thought a local scrap dealer was picking it up."
In reality, the council was picking up the cost of clearing the site in Sandy Lane, Caldwell.
Weston, 38, of Frederick Street, Woodville, was fined £215, ordered to pay £1,000 costs and a victim surcharge of £21 when he appeared at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court.
