A FLY tipper who went on the run to avoid justice for dumping rubbish in a farmer’s field near York has been arrested and sentenced.

York magistrates heard that a resident contacted Ben Stannard, 30, and Bradley Want, 29, through their business Facebook page “The Chamber of Secrets Second Hand Emporium” and paid them £50 to take away his waste. Some of the items they collected were found the next day in the farmer’s field near Heslington.

Stannard, of no fixed address, failed to attend court and was arrested on a warrant.

He pleaded guilty to offering illegal waste disposal services and was fined £1,107 with £651 prosecution costs, £50 compensation and a £110 court surcharge.

He told the court he was the main mover in the business and Want had been doing him a favour by letting him use his van.

He said he now had had a waste disposal licence, a shop and a weekend market stall.

He also said his business included house clearances.

Want, 29, of Teal Drive, York, was given an identical sentence when he appeared in court earlier this month and also admitted fly tipping offences.

The case was one of several brought before York magistrates as part of the City of York Council’s Crime not to Care and Operation Eyeball campaigns.