WHEN David Farnsworth missed the usual rubbish collection he jumped in the car to take the rubbish to the local household waste tip.

But when he found the tip was closed he decided to dump the five bags full of household waste in a farmer's field.

Farnsworth, 27, of Beatrice Street, Swindon, pleaded guilty at Swindon Magistrates Court to one charge of fly-tipping under the Environmen-tal Protection Act 1990 in a prosecution brought by the Environment Agency.

Magistrates decided the offence was deliberate but not pre-meditated.

While fly-tipping was serious and required heavy penalties, this offence was at the lower end of the scale.

In addition, they said, Farnsworth was remorseful, had co-operated with the investigation and was of previous good character.

He was fined £450 and ordered to pay costs of £325 to the Agency.

The court heard that on or before April 17, 2000, Farns-worth unlawfully deposited five bags full of household waste including food waste, paper and packaging waste without a waste management licence.

This was dumped in the entrance to a farmer's field between Blunsdon Hill and Purton in Blunsdon St And-rew, Swindon.

When interviewed by Agency officers Farnsworth admitted the offence.

He said that he had missed the rubbish collection and after an argument with his wife packed up the rubbish to take to the tip, which he found closed.

On the way to another tip he drove past an open area which already had rubbish deposited there, and dumped his.

Agency Officer Mark Ormrod said: "The fly-tipping of waste can encourage vermin and insect pests as well as being a blight to the landscape.

"The Agency is pleased that the magistrates viewed this as a serious offence and responded with a heavy fine."