A MAN found himself in court after leaving household waste outside a recycling centre.

Robert Staniforth, of Chester Road in Oakenholt, appeared at Mold Magistrates Court on Tuesday via video link from HMP Berwyn.

The 39-year-old admitted that, on or around January 2 at Flint Household Recycling Centre, he deposited household waste without the authority of an environmental permit - summarised by the court as 'fly-tipping'.

Rosemary Proctor, prosecuting on behalf of Flintshire Council, told the court that at around 9am on January 2, an enforcement officer attended the recycling centre and found several plastic bags and some boxes just outside the site's gates.

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They contained mainly Christmas waste such as wrapping paper.

Of the eight bags, only two could be attributed to Staniforth, the court heard.

Ms Proctor said: "The council would say this is an offence; there was no duress involved. Mr Staniforth did not have to leave those bags.

"He could have picked them up, put them back in his car and come back another day."

Defending himself at the hearing, Staniforth told the court he is on remand at HMP Berwyn until the end of September.

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The Leader:

On the fly-tipping matter, he said: "The site closed 15 minutes early and when I spoke to the chap from the council he did verify that the site should have been open.

"Yes, I am guilty of leaving the waste outside - in a tidy manner - but just to bring up the fact it's a public service they are offering. I arrived before closing time.

"Yes, I could have come back, but I work away and was due up in Scotland the next day so it wasn't suitable.

"But it's also not suitable for a public service to close."

The magistrates opted to impose a 12 month conditional discharge, with a £26 victim surcharge.