A "BLATANT" fly-tipper who dumped piles of rubbish, including a three-piece suite, at a conservation area has been fined £600 and electronically tagged.

Trevor Stanley Dickinson appeared at Furness Magistrates' Court today, where he pleaded guilty to dumping the furniture, along with a range of others items such as a pram, a bicycle and bags of rubble on land near Roanhead fishing ponds, north of Hawthwaite Lane, on February 28.

Dickinson, who was not legally represented in court, said he knew he had "done wrong" and was very sorry for what he did.

He has previously appeared in court on Monday but his case was adjourned to be heard by District Judge Gerald Chalk because of the nature of the offence.

Dickinson, of Abbey Road, Barrow, was fined £600 and electronically tagged for the duration of an eight-week curfew which will operate between the hours of 8pm and 6am.

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He was also ordered to pay an £85 victim surcharge.

Speaking on behalf of Barrow Borough Council, which prosecuted the defendant, Nic Christofides called the punishment "a strong sentence" and a good "deterrent to would-be offenders."

"Fly-tipping is costing councils millions of pounds a year and we must minimise this," he said.

"We will prosecute people flouting the law and we will take people to court for this."

The streetcare enforcement officer said the council had already had 1,100 incidents of fly-tipping reported to them this year, and that three further cases were soon to be brought before the courts.

Mr Christofides added: "They don't care about what it affects as it's for their convenience.

"This person could have driven another mile down the road or called the council and paid £10, £20 maximum to have his waste taken away.

"But instead he made two blatant journeys."

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