A Black Country pastor who was caught illegally dumping carpets and cardboard in a fly-tipping hotspot has been told to pay more than £1,000.

Emmanuel Jones-Udokpan was filmed on CCTV dumping the goods in Cross Street North, off Cannock Road, Wolverhampton, on May 10.

The 43-year-old, who preaches at the Fountain of Grace Church, Old Fallings Lane, Wolverhampton, handed himself into police shortly afterwards and then cleared the rubbish he had dumped.

Passing sentence at Wolverhampton Magistrates Court yesterday, chairwoman of the bench Geri Brookes told him: “You are a pillar of the community. You are a pastor, therefore we expect you to set an example to your parishioners.”

The court heard CCTV cameras which caught Jones-Udokpan were installed by the city council due to persistent fly-tipping in the area.

Jacky Bramley, prosecuting, said the preacher had been returning from a prayer meeting when he was spotted getting out of a Toyota Previa people carrier and dumping the goods on the side of the road.

He said the rubbish would not fit in his boot and that he could not afford a skip.

The court also heard that although he had lived in Wolverhampton for six years, he had not known there was a public tip at nearby Shaw Road.

Ms Olomoleiyo, defending, said Jones-Udokpan had suffered much embarrassment since footage of him fly-tipping was published in the Express & Star in May.

“He is a pastor of a church and the last place he would want to see himself is in the dock, ” she said.

“He is somebody of good repute. A lot more is expected of him. Even seeing himself in the newspaper was enough embarrassment. He is very distressed about the matter.”

Ms Brookes gave him credit for his guilty plea as well as contacting police about the crime.

But she added: “The fact remains you did unlawfully fly-tip.”

Jones-Udokpan was ordered to a pay £335 fine, £655 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

He will pay at a rate of £100 a month.