Fines for fag ends
Two men who dropped cigarette butts have been fined at Basildon Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (21 March).
Both were fined £75 — the same as a Fixed Penalty Notice — but both also now face having to pay several hundreds of pounds in costs.
Neither man appeared in court and the cases were proved in their absence.
The court heard that on 12 August last year, during a community payback operation around Stifford Clays, 21-year-old Leon Miles of St Cedd’s Court, Crammavill Street, was seen to throw a cigarette butt on the floor outside the Tesco Express in Cramavill Street and walk away.
He was approach by a Community Protection officer, admitted to the offence and was issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75, however he failed to pay the fine and ignored all correspondence.
The magistrates fined him £75 and ordered him to pay £708 in costs and a further £15 victim surcharge.
The second offence took place on 30 September during a similar community payback event, this time in Corringham.
Twenty-five-year-old Rizwan Jabbar of St John’s Way, Corringham was spotted throwing a cigarette end on the floor and walking away in St John’s way.
When asked, he identify himself and admitted the offence. He was issued a £75 fixed penalty notice, but failed to pay the fine.
The magistrates imposed a £75 fine with costs of £552 and a £15 victim surcharge.
Its harsh, but might make some people think twice about where they throw their rubbish.
They wouldnt do it at home!