FLY-TIPPERS were warned yesterday they will be caught and could face a prison sentence after the conviction of a man from Beccles.Jake Klein, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of illegally dumping a van load of rubbish at a site in Ashby, near Lowestoft, in December 2006, and at Aldeby, near Beccles, in March 2007.

FLY-TIPPERS were warned yesterday they will be caught and could face a prison sentence after the conviction of a man from Beccles.

Jake Klein, 21, pleaded guilty to two counts of illegally dumping a van load of rubbish at a site in Ashby, near Lowestoft, in December 2006, and at Aldeby, near Beccles, in March 2007.

The waste, including window frames and PVC, was traced back to Klein, who ran Glorious Home Improvements and Glorious Windows at the time.

The father of a 10-month-old baby, who lives with his partner at Cox's Close, Beccles, told the court that he had recently been made bankrupt and now worked as a scaffolder.

In a statement read to the court, he admitted to being in charge of Transit vans which deposited the rubbish, but said he was not the driver.

Mark Watson, defending, told Ipswich Crown Court that during interviews following both instances of fly-tipping, Klein tried to blame someone else for the offence. For the incident in December 2006, Klein had blamed one of his employees who he claimed had been told to dispose of the waste legally, but Mr Watson said this was not

the case.

He said: “He was told to find somewhere to tip the waste. He was told if he did not do that he would lose his job.”

Klein was still under investigation for the first offence when he allowed more rubbish to be dumped outside the landfill site in Aldeby. He also had a similar previous conviction for illegally disposing of waste in November 2007.

Judge David Goodin told the defendant that because he had re-offended shortly after his earlier conviction, he would face a tougher sentence. He said: “That you should have committed it so soon after the offence in August certainly pushes it over the custody threshold, but I have no intention of sending you straight to prison.

“You are a man of no financial substance, but a serious level of service in the community is called for.”

He said Klein could be sentenced to unpaid work or a curfew and a suspended prison sentence. He was released on unconditional bail and will be sentenced on August 26.

Following the trial, Waveney District Council and the Environment Agency, who jointly brought the case to court, said they were delighted with the result.

Dawn Goodhall, for the Environment Agency, said she hoped this would send out a strong message to others. She said: “We take fly-tipping very seriously and we will always prosecute. These offences can attract a custodial sentence.”