Fined £700 – for dropping cigarette butt

By pkemp

A RUGELEY mum-of-two who threw a cigarette butt out of her car window has told of her 'shock' – after a court ordered her to pay a whopping £727 for littering.

Marie Elson, aged 42, of Newman Grove, tossed the cigarette end onto the road during a school run to Fair Oak Business and Enterprise College.

But she was spotted by two environmental officers from Cannock Chase Council.

"At the end of the day I do not dispute what I did – but I was just shocked by the amount," Marie told the Mercury this week.

"I know of people who have been in court for far worse crimes and have had to pay less than this," she added.

The incident happened on November 17 last year and 'two or three months later' Marie was issued with a fixed penalty notice for littering.

But she admitted she did not realise the seriousness of the offence.

And because of family commitments and health problems, she failed to turn up at Stafford Magistrates' Court on April 30 and did not enter a plea by post.

She was found guilty in her absence and fined £350 for dropping the cigarette end and £200 for failing to pay the fixed penalty notice. She also has to pay £162 in costs and a victim surcharge of £15 – a total of £727.

"I actually can't remember throwing the fag out of the window," Marie said.

"The first I realised something was going on was when I was sat in my car I saw these two ladies looking at my car and taking my registration number."

She said the area was strewn with litter, empty cans and discarded crisp packets.

"I admit I did not think it was such a big issue," she said.

She was told of the £727 fine by letter.

"It was a huge shock," she said. "I am on income support and am not working."

"I will hold my hands up – but how many people have thrown fags out of the window?"

She has now begun paying off the fine at a rate of £5 per week.

But she said she was being made 'an example of' by authorities.

Councillor Tony Williams, Cannock Chase Council environment leader, said: "The council is committed to a cleaner, healthier and safer district and we are cracking down on all forms of littering, including cigarette ends.

"Contrary to what many smokers believe, cigarette ends are litter.

"Miss Elson, after receiving her fixed penalty notice, buried her head in the sand and tried to ignore what was happening. She's got to pay a far heftier fine now."