Plymouth fly-tipper brought to justice

Council wins long court battle

Plymouth City Council has successfully prosecuted a fly-tipper who dumped a huge pile of furniture at Stonehouse after a two and a half year battle to bring him to justice.

The authority said this week it would “not tolerate blight on our streets and residents should not have to either”.

Marek Mirga failed to appear in court several times after the council decided to prosecute him when he failed to pay a £400 fixed penalty notice.

But at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court last week he pleaded guilty for the incident at George Place in July 2023 and was ordered to pay  £1,887 in fines and costs.

The fly-tip was made in an area which is being frequently cleared up by the council and costing the taxpayer money. 

Mirga claimed he was clearing waste from a flat so that his family could move in during an investigation by the council’s environmental enforcement officers. 

However, during subsequent enquiries, he was evasive, failed to respond to communications and denied any connection to the property, said the council.

The standard £400 fixed penalty notice was issued to the 46-year-old for fly-tipping, but despite many attempts to contact him and a reminder letter issued, the FPN remained unpaid.

Mirga, who now lives in Nottingham, was summonsed to appear at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court the first time in March 2024 and later in August 2025 after being located and arrested in The Midlands but he attended neither.

He failed to show again after two arrangements were made for him to appear in court via video link in October 2025 and January 2026.

On 26 January 2026, Mirga was arrested by Nottinghamshire Police and brought before Nottingham Magistrates’ Court. He was subsequently bailed to attend in person at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on February 12  where he admitted the offence.

Cllr Tom Briars Delve (Lab, Stoke), cabinet member for the environment and climate change said: “The pile of furniture was dumped in an area which has been repeatedly cleaned up by the council. We do not tolerate this sort of blight on our streets and our residents should not have to either.

“Persistence and patience has paid off and I would like to thank our officers for sticking with it – and also police colleagues in the Midlands who helped bring this man to justice.”

Plymouth City Council issued 21 fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping in January 2026 compared to five in January 2025. A total of 132 fixed penalty notices for dumping rubbish were issued during 2025.