A man has been fined £500 after he falsely posed his waste disposal services to a resident in Dover and dumped her fridge in a car park.

Daniel Urse, of Vicarage Square in Grays, Essex, was ordered to pay costs of £150 and a £50 victim surcharge at Canterbury Magistrates Court on Monday, May 9.

The court heard that on July 30 last year, a resident in Friars Way was visited by two men in a white van who offered to take an old fridge freezer from her garden.

As they had cold-called her, she noted the van’s registration number.

They said the item was for charity and the resident agreed they could take it.

She became suspicious when the men also attempted to take some copper piping from her garden.

It wasn’t until the appliance was spotted in a communal car parking area that a Dover District Council investigation was launched.

When the resident’s home security CCTV was checked, she saw a large white object being removed from the back of a white van and left in the parking area.

It was confirmed to belong to the same resident.

When it was returned, she noted that scrap metal had been stripped from the rear of the appliance.

Urse did not attend the initial hearing back in March, so a warrant was issued by the court, which resulted in his appearance at Canterbury Magistrates.

At the hearing on Monday, he pleaded guilty to an offence of fly-tipping under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Cllr Trevor Bartlett, DDC’s cabinet member for public protection said: “Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, and where there is evidence of those responsible we will look to prosecute wherever appropriate.

“Fly-tipping not only looks unsightly but it can be harmful to people and animals, and is harmful to the environment.

“If a member of the public witnesses fly-tipping, they should report it online on the DDC website, or by telephoning 01304 872428 during office hours or 01304 821199 outside of office hours.”