A MAN who left a horsebox containing waste across a private driveway in Rockbourne near Fordingbridge has been left with a heavy bill – and a suspended sentence.

Mark Rutterford of Highview Gardens in Poole left a horsebox containing tyres, alloy wheels, gas cannisters, cuts of wood, and a small amount of household waste.

When environment enforcement officers from Wiltshire Council attended the site after receiving a report of fly-tipping in October 2024, they discovered a small envelope in the waste addressed to Rutterford.

He initially denied all responsibility for the fly-tipping – instead stating that two individuals had offered to take it away for him.

But he eventually admitted that he had lied and that he had, in fact, dumped the horsebox on the driveway.

Due to the inconvenience being caused to the resident, a decision was made to urgently remove the fly-tip, at a cost to the council of £1,525.70, and to pursue a criminal prosecution.

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Councillor Martin Smith, cabinet member for highways, street scene and flooding, said: “I would like to thank our enforcement team for acting swiftly in this extreme case of fly-tipping and for bringing Mr Rutterford to justice.

“The sentence he has been given today shows just how serious this case was, and the inconvenience and stress caused to the residents by his actions.

“Fly-tipping is a blight to our beautiful Wiltshire countryside and can have serious consequences.

“In this instance, residents were unable to enter or leave their own house due to the horsebox blocking their driveway, and emergency services would not have been able to get to them if required.

“We take fly-tipping very seriously in Wiltshire, and I hope this sends a clear message to anyone thinking about fly-tipping – we will not hesitate to prosecute.”

Rutterford was given a suspended prison sentence at Swindon Magistrates Court on May 23, after pleading guilty.

At the hearing, was given an 18-month suspended sentence, which was reduced to a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years after being given credit for his early guilty plea.

He must also pay a total of £4,837.70 in compensation and costs. He was sentenced under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

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