Fly-tippers should be 'garrotted with their own intestines', Tory MP says

Fly-tippers should be ‘garrotted with their own intestines’, a Tory backbencher has suggested.

Sir Desmond Swayne made the suggestion amid calls for people who fly tip to face tougher punishments.

During environment questions, the MP for New Forest West in Hampshire, said: “The New Forest is being desecrated by people fly-tipping.

“Will she (Theresa Villers) have a word her colleagues in the Ministry of Justice to ensure that we’re more robust with respect to punishments? Perhaps garrotting them with their own intestines?”

Garrotting someone involved strangling them, often with a length of wire or cord, and originated as a method of execution in Spain.

Responding to Sir Desmond’s suggestion that it should be used on fly-tippers, Environment Secretary Theresa Villiers said: “Well, I wouldn’t go quite that far”.

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She added: “Certainly, in providing resources to the Environment Agency, we are absolutely determined to crack down on this deeply anti-social crime.

“And I hope the courts will view it seriously and inflict appropriate punishment.”

Fly-tipping currently incurs a maximum punishment of an unlimited fine and up to five years imprisonment if convicted in a Crown Court.

Ms Villiers said the Environment Bill will facilitate the introduction of waste tracking which would help law enforcement authorities crack down on fly-tipping.

Asked by North Warwickshire MP Craig Tracey how householders can avoid falling foul of waste collectors who go on to illegally dump waste, she said they can check using the carrier’s business name or their registration number against details on the Environment Agency website or by ringing the Environment Agency helpline.