by Jamie Stephens

jstephens@thekmgroup.co.uk

He was Tidy by name but unfortunately not by nature...

An Eccles man named Mr Tidy proved to be more like Mr Lazy after dumping his rubbish in a rural lane rather than taking it to the tip.

Daniel Robert Tidy, 28, of Greenfield Close, was one of two men convicted of flytipping near Maidstone after being brought to justice by the Clean Kent enforcement team.

He pleaded guilty to flytipping black rubbish sacks at Bull Lane, Eccles, over a two-month period and was sentenced to 45 hours community service and ordered to pay costs of £535.

In a separate case, Chatham resident James Moriarty - no relation to Sherlock Holmes' villainous arch-enemy Professor Moriarty - pleaded guilty to illegally dumping black sacks, cardboard and polythene at the exit slip road to the Shell Cossington Service Station, near the Maidstone-bound A229.

Case solved, the 28-year old of Tramways was sentenced to 45 hours community service and ordered to pay costs of £630.

KCC environment boss Bryan Sweetland, welcomed the convictions, saying anyone who flytips would be hounded down.

He said: "These sorts of environmental crimes not only blight our countryside but they also affect us all financially because we have to pay to clear up the mess they leave behind. Flytipping is an anti-social act and a criminal offence and we will not tolerate it.

"Both Kent County Council and the Clean Kent Campaign are committed to bringing flytippers to justice, so that Kent's residents can enjoy a safe and beautiful county."

In the meantime both Moriarty and Tidy can start following the example of his Mr Men namesake Little Miss Tidy, rather than her slightly more irresponsible friend Mr Messy.