A cleaning company worker has been jailed for nine months after being identified as the culprit responsible for fly-tipping waste at the entrance of a municipal park.

Michael Antony Marsden was employed by a contractor working for Blackburn with Darwen Council when the offence, outside the gates of its Queen's Park, took place in 2021.

In court on February 29, the 40-year-old, of Victoria Street, Oswaldtwistle, was given a total sentence of nine months imprisonment at Preston Crown Court for a number of offences, including theft of a motor vehicle.

This included two months custody in respect of the fly tipping in Queen’s Park Road.

A Blackburn with Darwen Council spokesperson said: "On November 17, 2021, the council received a complaint there had been a large deposit of waste at the entrance to the park in Queen’s Park Road.

"The council attended and found a large fly tip blocking the entrance to the park and documents found within the waste led the council to three separate properties where work had been carried out on behalf of the council.

"The council used an established firm, John Hogg Cleaning, which had a good reputation and had not previously been connected to any fly-tips.

"Evidence was then obtained from a CCTV camera placed at the site which confirmed a John Hogg vehicle had deposited the waste in the early hours of that morning.

"Mr Hogg attended for interview and identified an employee who was responsible for that vehicle.

"He stated the worker had been shown where the tip was and given training as to how to deposit his waste in an authorised manner.

"Michael Antony Marsden attended for an interview and fully admitted he was the person responsible for the fly tip.

"He stated he had run out of time in getting to the tip the previous evening and made a stupid mistake.

"He identified himself on the CCTV and the council suspended their contract with the company following the incident.

"Marsden was wanted on a warrant between August 2022 and October 2023.

"He was sentenced on February 29 for a number of offences including theft of a motor vehicle and received a total sentence of nine months’ imprisonment.

"The judge sentenced the fly-tip on the basis this was a deliberate and flagrant disregard for the law, there was minor localised harm caused to the environment and clean-up costs.

"The judge also stated this was a serious offence which had impacted on others and the defendant was given two months custody in respect of this matter.

"No costs due to immediate custody being imposed."

Blackburn with Darwen Council's environment boss Cllr Jim Smith said: "This is how seriously the courts take fly-tipping and let this imprisonment be a warning to others.

"The council will not tolerate any sort of waste crime in Blackburn with Darwen and we will do everything in our power to take action against those who don’t respect that."