NOTE: A press release issued by the Public Protection Partnership states 'Wokingham resident prosecuted for fly-tipping' - but we have since been approached by the resident to say this was not the case.

A RESIDENT has been fined after failing to dispose of rubbish dumped in a skip in Wokingham.

Rickey Benham, aged 44, of Victoria Road, Wargrave was convicted of failing to comply with the Environmental Protection Act and for failing to register as a carrier of controlled waste before transporting it.

He appeared at Reading Magistrates Court on Friday, March 1 and pleaded guilty.

He was fined £500 and ordered to pay £30 in surcharges and £500 in costs.

The incident happened in March 2018 when a member of the public reported a large amount of waste at Green Lane, Wokingham.

Councillor Iain McCracken, Chairman of the Joint Public Protection Committee, said: “The duty of care with waste applies to everybody and a breach can be very serious as shown by the penalty in this case.”

After an investigation launched it was established that the waste belonged to a householder who had hired a skip from Ricky, who at the time owned a business called R B skip.

The householder paid Ricky £180 to collect the skip and dispose of the contents, which included suitcases, a radiator, cardboard boxes, a broken wardrobe and a hard wall.

He denied that he had deposited the waste and did not provide an account as to how he arranged for its disposal.

Mr McCracken added: “It is important to ensure that anybody who takes your waste away is licensed to carry waste and that you get appropriate documentation. This fine sends a clear message to would-be perpetrators.”

“The Public Protection Partnership is a shared service of Bracknell Forest Council, West Berkshire Council and Wokingham Borough Council and delivers trading standards, environmental health and licensing functions.”