A NOTORIOUS Test Valley flytipper, dubbed "Britain's worst", has been jailed.

Marcus Bairstow repeatedly dumped waste across Hampshire including areas of Test Valley such as Lee, Chilworth, Rownhams, Broadlands and Nursling.

However, with the help of Test Valley Borough Council, the law finally caught up with the 41-year-old Southampton resident, who this month was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £150.

TVBC worked alongside the Environment Agency, Southampton City Council and the police to prosecute Bairstow, who had previously been convicted of flytipping in March 2011.

TVBC portfolio holder for environmental services, councillor Graham Stallard, said: “As a result of the various agencies working together we have been able to bring Marcus Bairstow to justice.

"This sends out a message to all those who believe it acceptable to flout the law, that they will be found and punished for their crimes.

“I hope it also sends out a message to all those who pay for their waste to be collected to make sure that they check that the person or company offering the service has a waste carriers licence.

"All too often people don’t check this and, unbeknown to them, their waste is being flytipped.

"It was as a result of people not checking to make sure that Mr Bairstow had the correct licence that he was able to continue to operate.

"Those who don’t check that the company removing their waste has the correct licence can leave themselves liable to prosecution, so I would urge people to make sure that their waste is being disposed of legally and in the correct manner.”

Bairstow, of Chelveston Crescent, Southampton pleaded guilty to illegally depositing waste without a permit, three counts under Environment permitting regulations in depositing, keeping and treatment of waste without a permit and thereby breaching the ASBo imposed in 2011.

Appearing at Southampton Crown Court on September 14, Bairstow claimed he had been threatened by others to give them money and as the waste industry was the only trade known to him, he began the operation to earn some money.

However judge, Miss Recorder Bussey-Jones, said Bairstow committed deliberate acts which were carried out for financial gain and were a flagrant breach of his court order.