Thanet council has taken 34 people to court for littering after they failed to pay fixed penalty fines.
The prosecutions were brought in front of Canterbury Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, February 20 and Tuesday, March 13.
The council says the prosecutions, which were for non-payment of fines for littering and spitting offences, are a clear signal of the authority’s zero tolerance approach and its determination to push for further penalties in the event of non-payment.
As well as the fixed penalty notice offenders were issued with two warning letters after they had missed the initial payment deadline.
Cllr Rosanna Taylor-Smith, Cabinet Member for Community Safety & Environmental Services said: “Thanet is a beautiful place and we want to keep it that way. While litter is only dropped by a small number of people, it affects everyone. These prosecutions serve as a reminder that littering is a crime and won’t be tolerated. The message is clear – if FPN’s are unpaid, we will bring prosecutions.”
Of the 21 cases brought before the magistrates in February, one attended and received a £40 fine as well as being ordered to pay £60 costs and a £30 victim surcharge. Two pleaded guilty by post and were fined £55 and £60 respectively, with both offenders made to pay £60 costs and a £30 victim surcharge each.
The remaining 18 did not attend and were each fined £220 with £120 costs and a victim surcharge of £30.
In March, the further 13 successful convictions for littering in Thanet saw fines of £200 with £120 costs and £50 victim surcharge administered to each offender.
