A number of bags of household waste were left in an alleyway between All Saints Road and Gower Street in the St Peter’s area of the city in July. When crews attended to clear up, they found packaging in the waste which was addressed to Andrei Stoica.

This information was passed to the council’s environmental crime team to investigate and officers then visited the address to speak to the occupant.

When they arrived, they saw further bagged household waste had been dumped in the same location. On searching through the waste, officers discovered further packaging addressed to Stoica.

When they approached the inhabitant at the address and explained why they were there, he refused to give his name or any information relating to the incident.

Later that month, a notice under section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 was hand posted through the letterbox of the property. The notice required Stoica to attend an interview at the civic centre. When he failed to attend, officers prosecuted.

Stoica, of All Saints Road, was found guilty in his absence of one obstruction charge under section 110 of The Environment Act 1995 for failing to comply with investigating officers’ requests for assistance.

Dudley Magistrates Court fined him £660, ordered him to pay a victim surcharge of £264 and costs of £1,795 during a hearing on November 26.

The costs awarded to the council will be reinvested back into its environmental crime service.

Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “This is a great result and an example of real partnership work between our environmental teams.

“Thanks to the address details being spotted by our clean-up crew, officers from our environmental crime team were able to track down and prosecute this offender.

“We continue to work hard to prevent fly tipping and other environmental crimes. Suspected offenders should be aware that they are being watched and we are doing all we can to track them down.”

The recent court action supports ongoing work under the council’s Shop a Tipper campaign where anyone suspected of dumping rubbish will have their images shared 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 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