Waste man fined £1,500 for dumping soiled mattresses in countryside

A serial fly-tipper who dumped piles of rubbish around Richmondshire has been sentenced by a court. Ben Tiller, 37, from Richmond, North Yorkshire has blighted his community by illegally discarding waste in the countryside. Members of the public responded to a Facebook advert for “Rubbish Removal Service” and paid Ben to have the waste taken away in a pickup truck.

To get the latest email updates from Yorkshire Live, click here . It was indeed rubbish, and it was also illegal. Tiller dumped items – including furniture, a mattress, building materials and carpets – in rural areas.

An investigation was launched after documents found by a Police Community Support Officer (PCSO) linked to an address in Harrogate – the trail then led back to Tiller. A joint investigation by North Yorkshire Police and Richmondshire District Council was launched.

Ben Tiller advertised a ‘waste removal’ company on Facebook and dumping the waste in the local countryside (Image: North Yorkshire Police)

The council prosecuted Tiller, who was charged with two counts of fly-tipping. His accomplice, David Argyle, 37, from Thirsk, was also charged with one count of fly-tipping at Gallowfields Trading Estate in Richmond.

Both were convicted after pleading guilty to the offences at Harrogate Magistrates’ Court.

Tiller was ordered to pay an GBP800 fine and GBP700 in costs.

Argle was fined GBP300 with GBP700 costs.