Men in white vans face justice after being forced to clean up huge mess with fly swatters

Embarrassed fly swatters, who were barricaded by brave locals and forced to clean up by police, have been fined thousands. Ionut Bancunlea and Adrian Bivolaru were caught red-handed by the residents and workers of Packington Estate on Maxstone Lane, near Meriden.

They barricaded the two while the police arrived. Members of Warwickshire Police’s Operational Patrol Unit (OPU) then made the pair pick up the pile of rubbish they had dumped and put it back into their van.

The police team then posted images from the cleanup on social media and this led to the reporting of other fly-tipping offenses and links to Bancunlea and Bivolaru. The team was also contacted by Peter Barker from Solihull Council’s regulatory services team, who admitted the men were involved in offenses committed in the West Midlands.

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The two were charged with four offenses of dumping waste without a permit. They were:

• On Fen End Road in Fen End, Solihull between 23rd and 25th June 2023
• On Fen End Road in Fen End, Solihull on 8 September 2023
• On Packington Lane in Maxstoke on 16 November 2023
• On Maxstoke Lane in Meriden on February 7, 2024.

On May 10, the pair appeared at Leamington Spa Crown Court after pleading guilty. Bancunlea, 33, of Claremont Road in Smethwick, admitted four counts of dumping waste without a permit.

He was given a community order with an unpaid work requirement of 12 months, 150 hours and 10 days of rehabilitation activities. Bancunlea is also ordered to pay compensation of £1,565.84, as well as a victim surcharge of £114 and costs of £85 to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Bivolaru, 34, of Parkhill Road in Smethwick, pleaded guilty to two charges of depositing waste without a licence. He was given a community order with an unpaid work requirement of 12 months, 80 hours and 10 days of rehabilitation activities.

Bivolaru must pay £200 compensation as well as a £114 victim surcharge and £85 costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.

“Made to clean up their messes”

Speaking after the court case, Sgt Simms from Warwickshire Police’s rural crime team said: “Littering by the roadside ruins our beautiful countryside and wastes precious resources from our local councils which could be better invested elsewhere to to clean them. it also stops businesses like farms from being able to operate while owners deal with the mess, often leaving them out of pocket as well.

“We are very glad that the OPU rushed to the aid of the landowners and was able to catch them in the act on this occasion and we share the satisfaction that Banunclea and Bivolaru have been made to clean up at least one of their messes. I am extremely pleased that the rural crime team (who progressed the investigation with the assistance of Solihull Council and concerned members of the public) have seen these criminals properly punished.”

A Solihull council spokesman added: “We will continue to prosecute anti-social offenses such as fly-tipping to the fullest extent possible and urge residents to report tipping via the website of the council”. Police say if anyone witnesses fly tipping in progress, they should report it and include any information such as descriptions and license plates of the vehicles used.

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