Tuesday 7 February 2012
Published: 15/03/2010 08:06 - Updated: 15/03/2010 08:12

Man fined £350 for dropping cigarette butt in Old Harlow street

By Web Reporter
LITTERBUGS have been warned they could pay a heavy penalty after a man who dropped a cigarette butt in the street in Old Harlow was fined £350 and ordered to pay £300 in costs.
 
Litterbug
Litterbug
Damon Ellis was caught by a Harlow Council clean neighbourhood enforcement officer throwing down his cigarette in High Street in December. He made no attempt to pick it up and so was issued a fixed penalty notice of £80.
 
The notice was not paid despite reminders being sent and so the matter was taken to court. Earlier this month  magistrates fined Mr Ellis, who din not attend the hearing, £350  after the council made an application to prove the matter in his absence.
 
The court also ordered him to pay £300 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge. 
 
Tony Hall, chairman of the vouncil’s environment & community committee, said: “Harlow Council will take action against anyone making our town look untidy by littering. In this particular case the act was caught by one of our enforcement officers and has proved very costly for this smoker.
 
“Cigarette butts can be extremely difficult to clear up and this costs both time and council taxpayers’ money. Dropping a cigarette butt is not a petty act as it contributes hugely to the amount of litter on our streets. We want to change the image of our town and changing attitudes to litter is an important part of this.”
 

According to research by the Keep Britain Tidy Group, smoking-related materials remain the most widespread item of litter on streets in England.

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