A Caerphilly man has been ordered to pay a total of £1,220 in fines and costs after South Gloucestershire Council prosecuted him for fly-tipping a fridge freezer that was found dumped in Beazer Close, Staple Hill.
Mark Goodswen, 39, of Snowdon Court, Caerphilly, Mid Glamorgan, appeared at Newport Magistrates Court on 25 September. He was found guilty of fly-tipping, and handed a fine of £300, ordered to pay costs of £800 and a victim surcharge of £120, making a total of £1,220.
The court heard that a fly-tipped fridge was reported to South Gloucestershire Council on 14 November 2024. The report advised that a grey flatbed tipper-style truck was in the area collecting scrap metal. The truck and its two occupants, both males with strong Welsh accents, collected metal garden furniture and chairs from an address in Crownleaze before leaving the address and heading to Beazer Close. A local area Facebook group posted CCTV later that day showing the same vehicle pulling into Beazer Close and dumping a fridge freezer, with the truck’s registration plate clearly visible.
The following week, the council was informed that the truck had returned to the area, and a local resident had stopped them and obtained their contact details which included the name ‘Mark Scrapman’ and a mobile number, along with a company name ‘TJB allsorts’.
The vehicle’s registration was traced and it was found to be insured by two parties on the date of the offence, one of which was Mark Goodswen of Caerphilly. The council’s environmental enforcement officers attended Goodswen’s home address where his wife advised he was away on a fishing trip. The council’s contact details were left, along with a request for Goodswen to make contact as soon as possible.
The council’s environmental enforcement officers subsequently received a call from Goodswen using the same mobile number that he’d previously provided to the Staple Hill resident. He initially explained that he had no recollection of a grey flatbed tipper, and that he believed his license and data had been stolen and people had been using this to put him on insurance documents, as he had been receiving fines for vehicles he had no knowledge of. It was explained he would need him to attend the council offices to be interviewed under caution to give his account. He confirmed he was happy to do this. A date and time for January 2025 was fixed for the interview, however Goodswen failed to appear and no contact has ever been made to provide a reason.
Goodswen was summonsed to appear before Bristol Magistrates Courts, however he failed to attend on two occasions, so a warrant without bail was issued for his arrest.
On 25 September 2025 Goodswen was stopped by South Wales Police and arrested on the warrant. He was taken directly to Newport Magistrates Courts where he pleaded guilty to the fly-tipping offence.
Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “Not only did this man illegally dump waste in our area, he also repeatedly ignored the law which ultimately resulted in his arrest. We thank the residents who came forward with information that helped us bring this prosecution, and encourage others to report any instances of fly-tipping when they see it.
“We all have a responsibility to dispose of our waste in a responsible manner. Fly-tipping is a serious environmental crime that can have a negative impact on communities, can often be hazardous, and costs the council time and money to clear.
“There are a number of legitimate options for waste removal, including the council’s large household waste collection service. If you hire a third-party to dispose of your waste, always ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken.
“Prosecutions like these protect our environment and create cleaner and safer places for our communities. These are key priorities of the Liberal Democrat/ Labour partnership.”
Residents and businesses are advised to only give their rubbish to an Environment Agency registered waste carrier.
You can carry out these simple steps to make sure your waste is disposed of legally:
- Ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken. Legitimate firms will be happy to provide this information.
- Do not be tempted to use people offering cheap waste clearance on sites such as Facebook and Gumtree unless you have confirmed that they are registered with the Environment Agency
- Check whether the waste carrier is registered by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 or by checking on their website https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers
- Ask for a registered trading address and contact telephone number for the trader and get a receipt.
Household waste can be taken to the council’s Sort It recycling centres where it can be disposed of at no cost www.southglos.gov.uk/sortitcentres
Residents who see illegal fly-tipping are encouraged to report it by contacting the council’s StreetCare helpdesk on 01454 868000, emailing streetcare@southglos.gov.uk or visiting www.southglos.gov.uk/flytipping
