Claire Reid
A woman has been fined a whopping £1,500 for throwing a cigarette butt from her car window.
The driver of a Nissan Duke was spotted dropping the butt out of the car window in Barking and Dagenham, London.
The car was found to belong to a Maurine Bateesa, however, when police got in touch she refused to say who was driving the car at the time.
Advert
Despite being sent a reminder and a notice of intended prosecution, Bateesa still did not reply so the case was referred to court.
As Bateesa did not enter a plea at Barkingside Magistrates’ Court she was ordered to pay a fine of £660, as well as costs of £840 to Barking and Dagenham Council and a £66 victim surcharge.
A Barking and Dagenham councillor has said the area has a ‘zero-tolerance’ approach to ‘grime crime’.
Councillor Syed Ghani said: “The simple fact is this person is littering. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cigarette butt or a black bag.
Advert
“It’s a criminal act and we will not tolerate people treating our borough like a dumping ground.
“Grime crime is something our residents have told us is a top issue for them, which is why we take a zero-tolerance approach against those we catch in the act, and why we have increased our patrols and surveillance in problem areas.
“This person has learned an expensive lesson and we hope it sends a message to others in our borough.”
Earlier this year, a woman in Grimsby was left fuming after she was given the - much lower - fine of £100 after dropping a cigarette butt from her window.
Caroline Dawson was driving her parents’ car back in April when she was seen chucking the used butt out of the window.
Advert
A few days later, her mum and dad got a letter in the post from North East Lincolnshire Council notifying them about the offence.
After her parents informed the council it was their daughter driving she was forwarded the fine.
Although she admitted to the offence and accepted there should be consequences, Dawson told GrimsbyLive she felt officials should focus on more important issues.
She said: “What angers me is that I live on the Nunsthorpe, my partner lives on the Nunsthorpe, and there's so many other issues there.
Advert
"It does seem rather petty to get such a hefty fine. Considering the state of a lot of streets and areas, not just the Nunsthorpe, the fly-tipping that goes on, I'm sure people do a hell of a lot worse and don't get caught, or it's not pursued.
"I've always been a law-abiding citizen, I don't throw rubbish or anything like that.
"I suppose if I'd have been flagged down at the time and it was pointed out, and it was something like a £20 or £30 fine on the spot, it would be different. It just seems so hefty.”