Scrap metal merchant Emmanuel 'Manny' Bignall has been jailed for four months after breaching a court order to clear his land of junk and keep it free from unsightly waste.
Bignall, 68, of Cambridge Road, Hanwell, appeared at Ealing Magistrates' Court, in Green Man Lane.
Bignall, better known as 'Manny', was hauled in front of magistrates and sent to prison for failing to comply with a community order issued by the court last year, after disregarding various warnings from Ealing Council.
The council's envirocrime prevention team had issued Bignall with enforcement notices ordering him to clear his land, which had become an eyesore and overrun with scrap, dating back to 2007.
After repeatedly failing to clean up his act he landed himself in court and was given the community order in May 2008.
The order instructed him to clear the land within 30 days and keep it free from scrap for a year.
The land was cleared with the help of council officers but soon returned to its former state, landing him back in court.
Environmenta services leader, Councillor Sue Emment, said: "I'm pleased that the court decided to take such tough action. Our officers have worked tirelessly to encourage this man to take responsibility for his land and to instill a sense of civic responsibility. He wasn't willing to do anything about it so prison was the only option left.
"This should act as a warning to anyone else out there who thinks they can get away with treating any part of the borough, including their own land, as a dumping ground. We will continue to take action and make the borough a better place to live."
