Two men have been fined and will have to complete community services after illegally dumping waste in Meriden and Fen End.

Ionut Bancunlea, 33, of Claremont Road in Smethwick, and Adrian Bivolaru, 34, of Parkhill Road in Smethwick were sentenced on May 10 at Leamington Spa Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to multiple charges.

The charges related to four separate incidents, two in Fen End in June and September, in Maxstoke in November and then in Meriden on February 7.

The latter - at around 3:24pm - was the most widely publicised of the offences, with officers called to a fly tipping incident on Maxstoke Lane in Meriden.

Bancunlea and Bivolaru had been depositing building site waste from their vans along a private farm track when local farmer Adam Beaty blocked them in and called the police.

The men were caught ditching building waste (image via Warwickshire Police)

On the arrival of the police, the two men were instructed to load the waste back into their vehicles, at which point the vans were seized as evidence.

A social media post from Warwickshire Police's operational patrol unit showed pictures from the clean-up and led to other fly tipping offences being reported and linked to Bancunlea and Bivolaru.

The officers were also contacted by Peter Barker from Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council's regulatory services team, who recognised the men as having been involved in offences committed in the West Midlands.

The van was seized at the scene in Meriden (image via Warwickshire Police)

Sgt Simms of the force's rural crime team said: "Dropping waste at the side of the road ruins our beautiful countryside and wastes precious resources from our local councils that could be better invested elsewhere to clean it up.

"It also stops businesses like farms from being able to operate while the owners deal with the mess, often leaving them out of pocket as well.

"We are very happy that the OPU were quick to assist landowners and able to catch them in the act on this occasion, and we share in the satisfaction that Banunclea and Bivolaru were made to clean up at least one of their messes. 

"I'm extremely pleased that the rural crime team (who progressed the investigation with assistance from Solihull Council and concerned members of public) have seen these offenders being suitably punished."

An officer from SMBC recognised the men, and connected them with other incidents (image via Warwickshire Police)

At court on Friday Bancunlea pleaded guilty to four charges of depositing waste without a permit.

He was given a community order with a 12-month 150-hour unpaid work requirement and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.

Bancunlea is also required to pay compensation amounting to £1,565.84, as well as a victims' surcharge of £114 and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Bivolaru pleaded guilty to two charges of depositing waste without a permit.

He was given a community order with a 12-month 80-hour unpaid work requirement and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.

Bivolaru is required to pay £200 worth of compensation, as well as £114 victims' surcharge and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

The four offences that led to these charges were, in date order:

• On Fen End Road in Fen End, Solihull between 23 and 25 June 2023
• On Fen End Road in Fen End, Solihull on 8 September 2023
• On Packington Lane in Maxstoke on 16 November 2023
• On Maxstoke Lane in Meriden on 7 February, 2024

Police also shared footage on social media of the incidents (image via Warwickshire Police)