A man's car has been seized by the authorities for two months after he was found guilty of dumping refuse next to the bring-in site in Siggiewi.

In the first case of its kind, the Qormi Local Tribunal, presided over by Commissioner for Justice Ian Micallef, ordered the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to confiscate the man's car.

The man, from Siggiewi, was charged with littering after he left a plastic bag full of rubbish next to the bring-in site bins.

During a local tribunal sitting last Thursday, the man denied the charge. But a green warden was called to testify and presented a number of photographs taken by a closed circuit television camera as evidence.

The photographs clearly showed the man driving up to the site, taking a large bag out of the boot and leaving it next to the site, even though the bins were not full. The commissioner did not take into consideration whether the bag contained recyclable material or other refuse.

The man was visibly shocked to see the photos, but continued to deny the charges.

The Commissioner of Justice fined the man €116, which is the maximum for littering, and also decided to implement a recently-added clause in the Littering Act which enables the authorities to confiscate an offender's vehicle for up to one year.