Litterer fined £465 for offence

A Telford man who dropped a drinks can in bushes has been left with a bill of £465.

Anthony Lord was spotted discarding the can near Hadley Health Centre in September last year.

The 46-year-old did not attend Telford Magistrates Court yesterday to face the charge that he dropped or left litter in an area off the High Street on September 9.

But the case, which was brought by Telford & Wrekin Council, was proved in his absence.

The court heard Lord was seen dropping the can by a community support officer.

He was issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75 but failed to pay it. The court heard the council wrote to him a further three times over the notice but he still did not pay the fine.

Magistrates ordered him to pay a fine of £150 as well as costs of £300. Lord, of Eyton Road, Dawley, will also have to pay a £15 victim surcharge. A fines collection order was also made.

Russell Griffin, a council spokesman, said: "This is by no means a first. There have been previous prosecutions brought by the council to address instances of littering including people caught dropping cigarettes, pint glasses and glass bottles.

"In cases of this nature, we issue an original fixed penalty notice for £75 with an early payment option of £50 in the first 10 days.

"We only bring a prosecution as a last resort and any penalties imposed are the decision of the court, not the council."