A food delivery driver who dumped hundreds of veggie burgers on a Cherwell roadside has received his just desserts.On 16 July last year Gary Rothwell had reached Banbury when he realised he had neglected to drop two boxes of Quorn burgers in High Wycombe.
But rather than travel the 50 miles back he decided to forge a signature on the delivery note then drove to a secluded lane off Overthorpe Road, leading to Nethercote, where he dumped the food.
The incident was reported to Cherwell District Council and on investigation the boxes were found to carry a Marlow Foods label.
Environmental protection officers contacted the company which identified the burgers through batch numbers, tracing them to Refrigerated Distribution Services Limited.
And this firm was able to provide full GPS tracking records of its driver’s movements which confirmed he had stopped for a time where the boxes were found.
Mark Harmon, Cherwell’s environmental protection manager, said: “Whenever we receive a report of fly tipping we will always try to track down the culprit.
“The amount of evidence we had in this case is testament to the hard work of our investigating officers.”
The case was heard at Banbury Magistrates’ Court on Friday, April 1, where Rothwell pleaded guilty to breaching section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Summing up, the magistrates said the people of Cherwell take fly tipping very seriously and do not appreciate lorries driving through the area and dumping items, leaving taxpayers to pick up the bill.
They fined 51-year-old Rothwell - of Station Road, Whitwell, near Worksop - £100 and ordered him to pay £150 court costs, £765.20 for the clean-up and a £15 victims’ surcharge.
To report a fly tipping incident email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call 01295 221940.
