A woman has been fined for fly-tipping after household waste was dumped on a public bridleway.

Jennifer McTaggart was ordered to pay £155 after her household rubbish was found on a public bridleway in Offley.

McTaggart, Bridge Street, Whaddon, near Royston, pleaded guilty to not taking reasonable steps to prevent her waste from being fly-tipped illegally in April of last year, after sacks of rubbish were disposed of by someone else.

At a hearing at Stevenage Magistrates’ Court last week brought by North Hertfordshire District Council, she was fined £85, and had to pay £50 towards the council’s legal fees and a £20 victim surcharge.

David Scholes, chief executive of the district council, said: “Fly-tipping can be a real problem in our area. It ruins the environment and there are also financial implications for clearing it up which effects the council taxpayer. We encourage residents to make sure that their waste is disposed of appropriately and this includes ensuring any contractors they may use for building works or gardening have a waste carrier’s licence.

“We hope this prosecution sends a clear message that anyone can be found guilty of fly-tipping if they haven’t taken steps to ensure their waste is properly disposed of, even if they are using someone else to get rid of it for them.”