A MEMBER of the RAF has been fined more than £1,000 for dumping cardboard, toys and rubbish in a ditch in Fairford.

Richard Arthur, 22, dumped rubbish in a ditch in Horcott Road, Fairford in March. A serving member of the RAF, Mr Arthur was based in Fairford at the time and was in the process of moving to Brize Norton in Oxfordshire.

He is currently stationed in Shropshire.

Cheltenham Magistrates Court heard yesterday that the ditch had been cleared by the Environment Agency only two days earlier, and the rubbish deposited by Mr Arthur could have caused a serious blockage leading to flooding.

He was given the chance to explain his actions to Cotswold District Council officers before being taken to court but he failed to attend appointments which had been arranged.

He pleaded guilty to the offence in court and made no comment about the incident. The judge ordered him to pay a fine of £750 plus £250 in costs and a £75 victims’ surcharge.

Speaking after the prosecution cabinet member for the environment at CDC Cllr Sue Coakley said she was grateful to the person who came forward and told the council about the fly tipping incident.

"There are excellent arrangements in place for everyone to dispose of their waste legally so there is absolutely no excuse for fly tipping," she said. "Working with residents across the district, we will use every means at our disposal to keep on reducing the number of incidents."