A MAN has been charged more than £800 for dumping waste he was paid to remove.

James Crombie, 38, of The Calvers in Runcorn, appeared at Warrington Magistrates Court after dumping controlled waste on the busway at Whitehouse Industrial Estate in 2017.

Items belonging to a resident in Runcorn were found in the waste and the householder was interviewed under caution by the council.

The householder confirmed they had posted on a buy and sell Facebook page to ask if anyone could remove some waste for them and was contacted by a woman called Karen Scully.

Ms Scully told the householder that her husband could collect and dispose of the waste, and agreed a date and a price with the resident.

When interviewed, Ms Scully said that her husband James Crombie, now estranged, was responsible for the collection of the waste but she was not aware that he had dumped it on the busway.

Crombie admitted dumping the waste and said he had acted alone.

He told the court he uses his work van, which he is allowed to take home, to collect and dispose of waste to earn extra money.

Crombie also said that normally he would dispose of his waste at the waste disposal outlet, which he uses as part of his full-time job, but on this occasion needed to empty the van urgently.

He was issued with a fixed penalty notice of £400, but he failed to pay and was summoned to court.

Crombie attended the hearing, pleaded guilty, and received a fine totalling £840.