A man was fined after household waste was dumped on private land in Watford.

Shahjahan Ali, 48, of Alexander Road in London Colney, was fined £600 and £1,200 in costs at St Albans Magistrates Court after he paid someone to take away unwanted items from his home, which ended up being flytipped onto private land in Watford.

He has also received a criminal record.

Watford Borough Council's environmental crime team investigated to find Mr Ali had not used a properly registered person or company to dispose of his unwanted house waste, ultimately leading to it being left on land in the borough.

Cllr Karen Collett, who manages community issues for the council, said: "This is a real warning to everyone that Watford won’t put up with people who think they can litter our town with their unwanted rubbish.

"As a council we take illegal dumping of waste very seriously and will prosecute when we find out who is responsible.

"The message is clear, whether it’s your day to day rubbish or larger one-off items, if they aren’t disposed of legally you are breaking the law and you could soon find yourself with a hefty fine and a criminal record."

The council has recommended that people make sure to check who the collector is, and not take anyone's word even if they appear to be a legitimate building or skip company.

There is a list of legally licensed waste carriers throughout Watford on the council's website, which can be found at https://www.watford.gov.uk/flytipping

Anyone looking for advice on how to get rid of waste can contact the council's environmental services partner, Veolia, on 0203 567 6900.