A 34-year-old Manchester man has admitted criminal damage and fly-tipping offences - following an investigation by Cheshire Constabulary's Rural Crime Team.

Craig McCullough from Nettlebarn Road, Wythenshaw, appeared at Crewe Magistrates' Court on Friday (December 30).

The man admitted to criminal damage, causing the deposit of controlled waste on land without a permit and being the unregistered carrier of controlled waste in the course of business for profit.

Craig McCullough from Nettlebarn Road, Wythenshaw, appeared at Crewe Magistrates on Friday (December 30) (Cheshire Police).

He was fined £576, ordered to pay £4520 compensation, and pay £120 court costs, along with a £50 victim surcharge.

The charges related to McCollough, who advertised himself on social media as a man with a van collecting waste, picking up waste from an address in Macclesfield and dumping it in a farmer's field in Ashley on 16 May, 2022.

He had been paid to dispose of the waste correctly.

CCTV subsequently captured a van at the scene and officers began an investigation to identify the driver and connect them to the fly-tipping.

Officers discovered the van was registered to McCullough, but despite best efforts he evaded them until he was eventually caught by Border Force officers as he attempted to board a plane.

An example of fly-tipping in the UK (Wikimedia Commons).

PC Jim Clark said: "Instead of disposing of the waste correctly and despite having no relevant licence, he took the waste off the unsuspecting resident.

"He reversed onto a farmer's field, repeatedly smashing the gates to gain access causing thousands of pounds of damage, before dumping the waste.

"We gathered our evidence and brought him before the courts to ensure justice was done.

"I hope this goes to show that we do take rural crime seriously and that this sends a message to fly-tippers that this is not a crime you can get away with here in Cheshire."

The charges related to Craig McCollough, who advertised himself on social media as a man with a van collecting waste (Crewe Nub News).

Cheshire Constabulary has warned anyone who is looking to get rid of waste should have the relevant license to do so.

READ MORE: Crewe's new temporary bus station opens in town centre shake-up.

Free from clickbait, pop-up ads and unwanted surveys, Crewe Nub News is a quality online newspaper for our town.

Subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter email HERE - just click the 'SIGN UP' button.

Please consider following Crewe Nub News on Facebook or Twitter.