Woman fined over £900 for dropping cigarette butt

Here's 'behaviour change' with a vengeance!

A woman was fined over £900 last week for dropping a cigarette on the pavement and failing to pay her penalty notice.

Cllr Nilgun Canver, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods,said:

"People seem to think it's ok to drop cigarette butts in the street. Well it's not ok. It costs the council a lot of money to sweep up this litter and I hope this fine will make people think twice before throwing a butt away in future."

On Thursday the 5th of August Haringey Council Enforcement Officers spotted Kristina Djemal of 13 Charmwood Road, Enfield, throwing away a cigarette in Wood Green High Road and making no attempt to pick it up.

The officers were in the middle a litter patrol exercise with local police at the time.

Djemal was advised that dropping the cigarette was a littering offence and issued her with a fixed penalty notice of £75.  

Despite reminder letters being sent, the fixed penalty notice was not paid, and the case was referred for prosecution.

Although Djemal failed to turn up at court on December 1st, Tottenham Magistrates found her guilty of littering and she was fined £525.00, with full costs of £382.00. A collection order was also granted, providing for bailiffs to visit the home to collect the money.