Scoundrel finds rotten item (3,3)
I believe the answer is:
bad egg
'scoundrel' is the definition.
(both can mean an unpleasant person)
'rotten item' is the wordplay.
'rotten' becomes 'bad' (similar in meaning).
'item' becomes 'egg' (I have seen 'Item of food' mean 'egg' so perhaps 'item' could also mean 'egg').
'bad'+'egg'='BAD EGG'
'finds' is the link.
(Other definitions for bad egg that I've seen before include "wicked person?" , "Nasty person like addled ovoid" , "Untrustworthy type (smelling rotten?)" , "Unpleasant person" , "Untrustworthy (a potential stinker?)" .)