Two men who used contractors to take away waste have been fined after their rubbish was found dumped.

Swale council is warning people that they too could be prosecuted if their items are not properly disposed of – even if they have paid someone take care of it.

David Steady, of Vincent Gardens, Sheerness, pleaded guilty to a breach of the Environment Protection Act after some of his rubbish was fly-tipped in Old Ferry Road, Iwade, by a contractor.

The 51-year-old appeared at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court last month and was fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £200 and a £20 victim surcharge.

A collection order to pay the money at £10 a fortnight was also made.

Rasaratnam Baskaran, formerly of Peel Drive, Sittingbourne, was also charged with a breach after commercial waste was dumped in Church Road, Tonge.

He appeared at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court last month and pleaded guilty.

The 47-year-old was fined £640 and ordered to pay a £64 victim surcharge and £300 costs.

The council has been unable to trace the actual dumpers because the two men were unable to provide details.

In a separate “environmental prosecution”, Richard Green, of Pintail Drive, Iwade, was charged with two offences of parking on a grass verge.

He did not attend court and was found guilty in his absence and fined £200 and ordered to pay a £40 victim surcharge and costs of £150.

Swale’s environment response manager, Alister Andrews, said he was delighted with the recent results which meant the council had prosecuted more than 100 offenders in eight years.

He said: “In the latest research we undertook with Swale residents, one of the most important aspects of the work we do was to see litter and fly-tipping offenders brought to court, prosecuted and fined.

“In the year to date so far we have prosecuted 12 offenders for waste-related matters.

“This compares to only 10 for the whole of 2013 so we are obviously taking our duties very seriously.

“We are likely to have 20-plus prosecutions this year.”