A fly-tipper has been jailed for more than a year after driving over 25 miles to illegally dump a huge pile of bricks in a car park.

James Atkins travelled from Essex to Kent to dump the building waste - that included mounds of brick rubble, soil and plastic - outside unsuspecting businesses.

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Despite being disqualified from driving at the time, the 29-year-old used the cover of darkness to tip the rubble from his massive lorry in-between some parking spaces at a business park.

CCTV footage captured the moment Atkins pulled in Swan Business Park in Dartford, Kent, in February 2017 and unloaded the large HGV tipper load.

Firms at the business park where Atkins left the mountain of rubbish had to pay over £3,000 to have the waste removed.

Essex Police seized the lorry after it was found abandoned some six miles back over the River Thames in Purfleet a week later.

Echo: Tipped - The pile of bricksTipped - The pile of bricks (Image: Environment Agency)
After an investigation, Atkins handed over a key and documents proving he was the registered owner of the lorry.

When Atkins, from Copperfield in Chigwell was quizzed by investigators he answered “no comment” to every question.

At Chelmsford Crown Court last Wednesday (Jan 25), Atkins was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Judge Mary Loram KC said the defendant was responsible for the “planned and cynical dumping of waste”, which she described as “sophisticated”.

Atkins’ illegal dumping meant he could avoid fees and taxes usually paid during lawful disposal of rubbish.

The Environment Agency said he also “undermined legal competitors” by cutting corners.

Lesley Robertson, who led the Environment Agency’s investigation, said: ““Atkins allowed his vehicle to be used to dump waste in Dartford. He operated at a commercial advantage, undermining legitimate business with little or no regard for the environment - and firms where the waste was dumped outside their premises had to pay for the clean-up.

“His custodial sentence demonstrates how seriously the court also considered this case to be.”

Atkins was also ordered to pay £6,000 in costs, having been convicted in his absence at the same court last October.