On 10 May, Mr Ionut Bancunlea pleaded guilty to four charges of depositing waste without a permit and was also given a community order with a 12-month 150-unpaid work requirement and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.
He is also reportedly required to pay compensation amounting to £1,565.84, as well as a victims’ surcharge of £114 and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Mr Adrian Bivolaru also pleaded guilty, but to two charges of depositing waste without a permit. He was given a community order with a 12-month 80-hour unpaid work requirement and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.
Mr Bivolaru was ordered to pay £200 worth of compensation, as well as £114 victims’ surcharge and £85 in costs.
The prosecutions are a result of a joint investigation between Warwickshire Police and Solihull council’s regulatory services team, after a widely publicised fly tipping incident in Meriden on 7 February 2024.
Caught in the act
Both men were said to be depositing building site waste from their fans along a private farm track when the landowners blocked them in and called the police. When the police arrived, they were instructed to load the waste back into their vehicles, at which point, the vans were seized as evidence.
The officers were also contacted by Solihull council’s Regulatory Services Team, who were thought to have recognised the men from previous offences committed in the West Midlands.
Sgt Simms of the Rural Crime Team in Solihull said: “Dropping waste at the side of the road ruins our beautiful countryside and wastes precious resources from our local councils that could be better invested elsewhere to clean it up.
“It also stops businesses like farms from being able to operate while the owners deal with the mess, often leaving them out of pocket as well.
“We are very happy that the OPU were quick to assist landowners and able to catch them in the act on this occasion, and we share in the satisfaction that Banunclea and Bivolaru were made to clean up at least one of their messes.”
A Solihull council spokesperson said: “Solihull council works hard to ensure the areas are clean and well-maintained. We’re pleased that this fine and community order has been issued and that fly-tipping cases are taken seriously.”
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