Motorist fined for littering street

A 26 year old Kidderminster motorist who threw a cigarette butt out of her car window has been ordered to pay £760 in fines and court costs.

Kidderminster Magistrates found Laura Quinn of Offmore Road, Kidderminster guilty of littering following a trial on 22 September 2017.

Nina Dorrell, prosecuting for Wyre Forest District Council, told Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court that on 26 January 2017, whilst driving on the Proud Cross Ringway in Kidderminster,  Miss Quinn threw a cigarette end out of her car’s window and drove away.

Miss Quinn denied the charge and told the court that she did not smoke.

The court heard evidence from the council’s civil enforcement officer, who witnessed the offence, the council’s investigating officers as well as a witness for the defence.

Magistrates found Miss Quinn guilty. In summing up the chairman of the bench stated that they did not find the evidence presented by Miss Quinn credible.

Miss Quinn was fined £350.00 and was ordered to pay victim surcharge of £35.00. She was also ordered to pay £374.81 in respect of prosecution costs.

Cabinet member for operational services Councillor Rebecca Vale said: “One of our key priorities is to keep Wyre Forest clean and looking good and we run regular campaigns to highlight the problems litter creates.

“The vast majority of our residents and visitors in Wyre Forest work with us and dispose of their litter responsibly. However if people insist of throwing their litter in the streets, then we will prosecute.

“So the message is please take your litter home or dispose of it in a bin. It really isn’t worth the risk of being fined for throwing it in the street.”