A BUSINESSMAN who paid two men in a white van to get rid of his rubbish has been fined £150 after it was dumped on wasteland in Bolton.

Ikram Ali was also ordered to pay £400 costs when he appeared before Bolton magistrates on Monday.

The court was told that he failed to ensure the men were licensed to take the waste away.

He was caught after Bolton Council enforcement officers found papers relating to his Horwich-based business, Carlines, on a fly-tipping site off Old Hall Lane, Heaton.

After the hearing, Mr Ali, aged 23, said: "It's not fair. The real criminals have got away with it."

The court was told that he had paid £40 to the men he knew only as "Malcolm" and "Shipley" to take four van loads of rubbish away.

Andrew Morris, prosecuting for Bolton Council,, said: "It's clear that Mr Ali had little or no interest in what happened to the waste.

"He never established that they were authorised to take the rubbish. Although this wasn't hazardous waste, it represents a serious breach of environmental law."

Enforcement officers found litter relating to the business when they were investigating fly-tipping at the site last June.

Mr Ali, of Blackburn Road, Bolton, pleaded guilty to failing to obtain a waste transfer notice and failing to ensure the waste had been taken by licensed carriers.

He was fined £75 for each offence.

Ian Lee, defending, said Mr Ali had been duped into paying the men, thinking they were a legitimate business after they arrived at his premises in Chorley New Road, Horwich, in a van marked "Refuse Removal Service".

"As far as Mr Ali was aware, they were an authorised organisation," said Mr Lee. "There was never any suggestion that they were going to dump the waste."

Speaking outside the court, Mr Ali said: "I'm as concerned about the environment as anyone, but the council need to make it clearer what business owners need to do."

Cllr Roger Hayes, Bolton Council's Executive member for direct services, said: "Any business in the borough that fails to comply with this duty will be dealt with firmly.

"It is simply irresponsible to dispose of waste to an unlicensed third party in order to save a few pounds and then expect the taxpayer to pick up the bill when the waste is dumped."