A Melksham man has lost his waste licence after being caught fly-tipping by a military helicopter.

Corey Ross Carr of Somerset Crescent, who operated CC Waste Removal & Clearance, pleaded guilty to four environmental and one Trading Standards offence at Swindon Magistrates Court in June in a case brought by Wiltshire Council.

The court saw video footage shot by a passing Ministry of Defence helicopter of Carr dumping waste and setting a mattress alight on land owned by Wiltshire and Berkshire Canal Trust in Melksham on November 17, 2021.

On top of the court’s sentence, which included £1,295 fine and costs, the Environment Agency, working with Wiltshire Council, revoked Carr’s licence to carry waste to prevent any further waste-related criminal activity.

Stephanie Marriott of the Environment Agency said:"The culprit used Facebook to advertise his services, illegally referring to his business as ‘fully audited’ by the Environment Agency. This was a lie.

"Holding a waste carrier’s licence means signing up to a commitment to properly dispose of waste in the right place. And if you break that commitment, we revoke your licence."

Cllr Dr Mark McClelland, Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Waste, said: "This fly-tipping prosecution was a great example of partnership working, and so it’s great news that Mr Carr’s licence to carry waste has been revoked by the Environment Agency.

"We will not tolerate fly-tipping in Wiltshire and will continue to work closely with partnership agencies to prosecute anyone who believes that they can flout the rules and blight our communities and environment."

The council is reminding the public that fly-tipping can be reported to their local authority. To help reduce these cases the council recommends that people ask their waste removal trader to prove they have a waste carrier’s licence, they never pay cash and should always get a detailed receipt which says where the waste is being taken.