Litterbugs who failed to pay fines hit with extra costs and criminal records

Three people who did not pay their littering Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) have been prosecuted and ordered to pay a total of £650 in fines and associated costs. The guilty three also now have criminal records for the offences.

Paul Adams of Boardman Lane, Middleton and Austin Young of Royds Street, Rochdale both pleaded guilty in court and were each ordered to pay fines and costs of £180 and £80 respectively. 

Graham Wilkinson of Ernest Terrace, Rochdale failed to attend at court and was ordered to pay £390 in fines and costs.

The offence of littering carries a £75 penalty, reduced to £50 if paid within seven days, or prosecution through the court with a fine of up to £2,500. These three defendants have been ordered to pay an average of £216 – nearly three times the original fine.

Councillor Neil Emmott, Rochdale Borough Council cabinet member for environment, said: “We’ve had enough of selfish litterbugs in Rochdale. It’s not acceptable for anyone to dispose of their litter on the ground, spoiling the area and expecting others to clear up for them. Keeping the borough a clean and desirable place to live is in everyone’s interest.

“The message here is, break the law and you will be fined. Choose to ignore it and it will cost you even more further down the line.”

Since the beginning of January the council has issued 89 fixed penalty notices, two for small scale fly-tipping, 85 for littering, and two for fly-posting offences. As well as the three prosecutions above, there have been 11 further convictions for cigarette related littering offences this year.