A resident who dumped broken furniture and household waste has been sentenced to a 12‑month community order following a prosecution by City of Wolverhampton Council.

Aimee Brinsley was seen moving the furniture, cushions and loose waste from a property in Treynham Close towards open land at Stowheath Green in February last year.

Photographs and footage of the items being moved were supplied to the council’s environmental crime team by an eyewitness. Two days later, the eyewitness again contacted the council to say the waste had been dumped near to high‑rise flats at Winston Churchill Court.

Thanks to the information and evidence received, the council’s environmental crime officers were able to investigate. The eyewitness was given a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton gift card for their help.

After identifying Brinsley as the occupant of the Treynham Close property, officers visited and showed her photographs that linked waste seen on her driveway to the dumped items.

She denied depositing waste on the land but confirmed ownership of a broken sofa shown in the photographs.

Officers then issued a Fixed Penalty Notice, which was not paid despite reminders being sent. Brinsley didn’t attend a formal interview and when the case was referred to court, she also failed to attend a first hearing and was arrested.

At Dudley Magistrates Court on 29 April, Brinsley pleaded guilty to one charge of depositing controlled waste under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and one of failing to respond to a request for interview in relation to a fly tipping investigation under the Environment Act 1995.

Magistrates sentenced her to a 12‑month community order, with a requirement to complete 20 rehabilitation days. She was also ordered to pay £500 in costs and a victim surcharge of £114.

The costs awarded to the council will be reinvested back into its environmental crime service. The council uses a variety of methods to tackle fly tipping, including its Shop a Tipper scheme, CCTV cameras and fines.

An additional £257,146 has also been invested in the service this year to fund extra enforcement staff and six more security cameras to be placed at known hot spots across the city.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Fly tipping is a dreadful blight on our city and it remains a priority for the council to tackle. This case shows that you cannot get away with ignoring our officers.

“I’m delighted that we’ve been able to bring this case to court and that there has been such a positive outcome. I am also very grateful to our local residents who provide us with the information we need to be able to investigate these kind of offences.

“We again remind residents that fly tipping is a criminal offence and that the council will pursue enforcement action, including prosecution, where evidence supports it and penalties are ignored.”

The recent court action supports ongoing work under the council’s Shop a Tipper campaign where anyone suspected of dumping rubbish will now have their images shared online to appeal for information to help identify them.

If the information provided leads to successful identification, and Fixed Penalty Notices are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card.

Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information or view images and report online at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/fly-tipping

Residents are reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open 7 days a week from 8am – 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.

A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/recycling-and-waste/book-bulky-item-collection