A Wiltshire businessman has been fined nearly £4,000 for dumping rubbish on a major A-road.

Mr Mohammed Hawkar, of Wicker Hill in Trowbridge, was prosecuted by Wiltshire Council for fly-tipping rubbish on the A303 near Winterbourne Stoke.

At Swindon Magistrates Court on Friday, November 8, he was ordered to pay a total of £3,950, including costs and compensation, after pleading guilty to the offence.

The council was alerted after “a vanload of cardboard boxes” were left on the side of the busy road.

An investigation was launched, and the waste was traced to a business in Yeovil.

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The owner identified the waste as his but explained that he had loaned his vehicle to Mr Hawkar to move furniture.

The van was full of his business waste when it was taken away, but when it was returned by Mr Hawkar, it was empty.

Cllr Nick Holder, cabinet member for highways, flooding and street scene, said: “We are committed to tackling fly-tipping in Wiltshire.

“Our Environment Enforcement officers will pursue offenders as part of our zero-tolerance approach to environmental crime.

“Anyone caught fly-tipping can be ordered to pay a £1,000 fixed penalty notice or be taken to court, where they could face an unlimited fine or imprisonment.

“We will fine or prosecute anyone caught illegally dumping rubbish in our beautiful county.”