The incident occurred on 15 July 2022, when CCTV footage captured a person entering the play park at Rushmore Park (off Rushmore Close), followed shortly by a Ford Transit Tipper. The vehicle was recorded unloading a significant amount of builders’ waste onto the public playing field.

Through the CCTV footage, Mr Simon Hartwell, of Stuart Street, Luton, was identified as the registered keeper of the Ford Transit Tipper. The person seen in the footage had a distinctive neck tattoo that matched Mr Hartwell's, leading to his identification.

In response to the fly-tipping, the parish council promptly arranged for the waste to be removed, incurring a cost of £1,200.

Mr Hartwell was requested to attend an interview on 18 November 2022 but failed to appear, prompting us to begin legal proceedings.

In April 2024, Mr Hartwell admitted guilt at Luton Magistrates' Court. This week, he was sentenced to a three-year community order involving 150 hours of unpaid work. He has also been instructed to forfeit his van and pay costs totalling £1,500 within the next 12 months. Additionally, he must fulfil a five-day rehabilitation activity requirement (RAR) and participate in an accredited program to address the factors that led to his offense. He is also required to attend supervision appointments with the Probation Service.

Councillor Steve Owen, our Executive Member responsible for Community Safety, stated:

We are dedicated to ensuring that our communities remain safe, clean, and enjoyable for all residents of Central Bedfordshire. This successful prosecution, and the heavy sentence imposed, underscores our commitment to tackling fly-tipping and serves as a strong warning: if you engage in illegal dumping, you will be held accountable.

We're urging communities to work together and share information to help catch fly-tippers. Find out how to report fly-tipping.