Paul Spate (22) was found guilty at Mansfield Magistrates' Court on Wednesday to five cases of dumping waste in woodland near the Sherwood Forest Golf Club in Mansfield.

The charges were brought by the Environment Agency under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Spate received a 12-month Community Order requiring 150 hours' unpaid work and was also ordered to pay £350 costs.

David Rees, prosecuting, told the court that Eakring Road had become a notorious fly-tipping hotspot over the past few years.

To combat this, the Environment Agency has joined forces with Mansfield District Council and the police in ja oint operation and installed covert cameras.

During July and August last year, on five separate occasions, a pick-up vehicle belonging to Spate was seen entering and leaving the woodland. Each time the vehicle would enter the woodland with waste and leave having dumped it.

In an interview, Spate admitted that he was linked to the vehicle, but denied he had been illegally tipping waste. However, he agreed that he was of a similar description to that that an earlier witness had given.

Speaking after the case Environmental Crime Team Leader Peter Rutherford said: "This prosecution is the result of a long running operation targeting the fly-tippers who frequent Eakring Road in Mansfield.

"During 2007, fly-tipping cost Nottinghamshire residents nearly £1m in clear-up costs and caused significant pollution to our local environment.

"Under Operation Maid Marian, we are working with all the local authorities within the county to tackle the problem and bring those responsible before the courts."