AN ILKESTON youth was fined £165 when he thoughtlessly ditched his cigarette in the street.
Thomas Robert Mitchell, 17, of Summerfield Way, admitted throwing a cigarette end onto the ground on Wharncliffe Road and was fined £50 and told to pay £100 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.
Neighbourhood Wardens at Erewash Borough Council hav
e renewed their warnings that litter louts will be not tolerated – with smokers who drop their cigarette butts among those targeted in the wide -ranging 'zero tolerance' campaign.
At the same hearing on Monday June 23 at Ilkeston Magistrates, Shazt Ahmat, 22, of Harrington Street, Draycott did not attend court but was fined £150 in his absence and ordered to pay £100 costs and a victim surcharge of £15 for dropping his cigarette end on the steps at Ilkeston Town Hall.
Ian Brian, 39, of Moria Dale, Castle Donington, admitted his offence by post and was fined £100 and told to pay £100 costs and a victim surcharge of £15 for throwing his cigarette end onto the ground on Derby Road, Sandiacre.
Scott Cartledge, Erewash Borough Council's Senior Neighbourhood Warden, said: "I hope local residents will join me in praising our Neighbourhood Wardens for their hard work in the campaign to keep our streets clean.
"The majority of people in this borough do respect the environment and dispose of their rubbish – be it cigarette ends or whatever – in the correct manner. These latest fines handed out to smokers prove again that we will not tolerate environmental crime and if anyone is spotted dropping butt ends or litter on the pavement they will be taken to task – and will face hefty bills."
Councillor Robert Parkinson, Lead Member for the Environment, added: "I am sure the public fully support our on-going work to make Erewash a cleaner borough.
"There is no excuse for not disposing of litter properly and, while we cannot possibly be everywhere at all times, if we do see someone who refuses to respect the environment then action will be taken.
"We need to get the message through to everyone that dropping rubbish for someone else to clean up will not be tolerated."
Anyone wanting to report environmental crime can do so anonymously, 24 hours a day, by contacting our Pride-Line on 01158 508 383.
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