A SECOND man has been hauled before the courts in a fly-tipping case that has taken years to solve.

Antony Brian Gaffney was handed a £400 bill at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court yesterday after boxes, fencing and a bathroom suite were dumped on the outskirts of the town more than three years ago.

He said he had not dumped the household waste, but admitted that he had collected it from a woman in Billingham before selling his van, containing the rubbish, two days later.

However, he was charged with failing to take the necessary measures to prevent the waste from being discarded unlawfully, to which he pleaded guilty. The unemployed 44-year-old, of Sycamore Crescent, South Bank, Middlesbrough, was fined £200 for the offence and ordered to pay an additional £200 costs.

Last night, Hartlepool Borough Council said, despite Gaffney not dumping the rubbish on the old A19 sliproad at Wolviston, he had still played a role.

A council spokesman said: "We hope this case serves as a warning that we are determined to clamp down on irresponsible behaviour, such as this.

"This offence was actually committed in September 2002, but it has taken us several years to trace Mr Gaffney.

"During this period, we have kept the case file open and we are delighted that we have now been able to bring him to court and secure a conviction."

The court heard that Gaffney had placed an advertisement in a local newspaper offering to collect and dispose of household waste.

A Billingham woman answered the advertisement and paid him £20 to pick up and get rid of the bulky items.

However, in court yesterday, Gaffney said he had then sold the van to a Johnny Conlon, who he believed to be a traveller.

He said he had no idea what had happened to the rubbish. Mr Conlon has never been found.

The council was only able to trace Gaffney's involvement when they found a diary among the trash, which contained the Billingham woman's telephone number.

John Relton, mitigating, said Gaffney accepted he had not taken the proper measures and must now be accountable.

He said: "These photographs we are looking at (of the rubbish) are not the responsibility of my client.

"That is the consequence, arguably, of not making proper investigations.

"I know ignorance is not a defence in these proceedings, but clearly Gaffney is not au fait and had not made proper enquiries. It's been a learning experience for him."