A serial fly-tipper has been fined nearly £1000 after being caught dumping furniture on CCTV.

Roxanne Belcher, from Graham Gurling Block, Ray Lodge Estate, Woodford Green, was ordered to pay £965 after being caught fly-tipping three times.

Footage showed Ms Belcher discarding a chest of drawers, a large wooden bed-frame and a sofa, among other things, in an area designated for household waste on Ray Lodge Estate.

The fly-tipping incidents took place between September and November 2018, despite Ms Belcher being given a previous warning by estate managers for dumping a TV stand in the same place.

The council said there was no excuse for Ms Belcher’s actions since it offers a free bulky waste collection service, widely publicised to estate residents.

After failing to co-operate with enforcement officers investigating the matter, the 36-year-old was summoned to appear in court, an order she ignored, resulting in her arrest on a warrant.

Following her appearance at Barkingside Magistrates Court on August 2, Belcher pleaded guilty to three counts fly-tipping.

She was hit with fines of £520 and ordered to pay costs of £220. A victim surcharge of £30 was also imposed, along with an order to pay clean-up costs of £195.

Cllr Jas Athwal, Redbridge Council’s leader, said: “Dumping rubbish and destroying our environment is a criminal offence and we will not tolerate it. Redbridge is our home and it is all of our responsibility to keep our streets clean.

“I hope the offender in this case finally learns their lesson and thinks twice before discarding rubbish again. The council offer a free bulky waste collection which could have saved this perpetrator a trip to court and £1,000.”

Cllr John Howard, cabinet member for civic pride, said: “There is no excuse for the dumping waste such as furniture, especially when the council offers residents a service that collects it for free.

“All of our residents deserve to live in a clean and safe environment, which is why we take a zero-tolerance stance against this type of grime crime.

“We will not hesitate to bring down the full weight of the law to prosecute those caught making a mess of the borough.”

Residents can arrange for their bulky waste to be collected for free via: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/bins-waste-and-recycling/book-a-bulky-waste-or-large-item-collection.