'Public bins only for sweet wrappers,' court hears

Mark Hollick, 39, was slapped with a 70 on-the-spot fine for placing the half-full bag of household waste - which binmen had left behind during their weekly collection - next to a street bin outside his home.

But Mr Hollick, who pays 1,300 council tax on his two-bed semi- detached house in Dane Road, Seaford, refused to cough up.

He told magistrates in Lewes on Monday: 'I had a bizarre letter from the council, telling me I would be taken to court because the public bin was only for sweet wrappers.

'The reason I put the bag there in the first place was so it wouldn't be ripped open by seagulls and spread all over the road.

'I thought it made sense, because the public bins are emptied every day. Otherwise it would have sat there for another week. It all ends up in the same hole, anyway.

'I didn't stand to gain anything from doing this. I haven't committed an evil or self-motivated crime. I just hate litter, I'm absolutely meticulous about it.'

Richard Orridge, acting for Lewes District Council, told the court Mr Hollick's details had been found on letters inside the rubbish bag.

He added: 'Refuse collectors are under strict instructions to collect everything, so if they had missed a bag, there would have been repercussions for them. However, Mr Hollick took matters into his own hands.

'He could easily have ended this matter by paying the fixed penalty notice he was given, but as he did not, the council decided to take it further.'

The court heard taxpayers would be picking up the 1,000 bill for bringing the case to court.

Mr Hollick, who pleaded guilty to a charge of fly-tipping, was conditionally discharged.

Magistrate Virginia Childs told him: 'We realise it was not your intention to create litter, and we accept you were trying to keep the streets clean and tidy. We also accept you were trying to dispose of your rubbish in a responsible way.'

After the hearing, Mr Hollick said: 'Taking me to court has cost the taxpayer a hell of a lot. It's absolutely ridiculous. I just can't believe they would push it this far.

'All I was trying to do was keep the neighbourhood tidy. Next time, I won't bother.'