Magistrates fine motorist for littering

On Wednesday 4 December 2019, following a trial, magistrates found a 36 year old Kidderminster man guilty of littering and ordered him to pay £854.81.

Dean Golding of Blackwell Street, Kidderminster pleaded not guilty to a charge of throwing litter within the area of Wyre Forest district and leaving it.

Nina Dorrell prosecuting for Wyre Forest District Council, told Kidderminster Magistrates Court that on Monday 29 April 2019 whilst driving on the Stourport Road, towards Kidderminster, Mr Golding threw a cigarette end out of his car window and drove away.

The court heard evidence from the council’s waste minimisation officer, who witnessed the offence; the council’s investigating officer and the defendant, who disputed that the article in question was a cigarette, though he admitted that he could not remember either way.

Magistrates found Mr Golding guilty. In summing up the Chairwoman of the bench stated that they found the evidence presented by the council’s waste minimisation officer very credible.

Mr Golding was fined £150.00 and was ordered to pay victim surcharge of £30.00. He was also ordered to pay £674.81 in respect of prosecution costs. 

Robert Beeston, Wyre Forest District Council’s senior community and environmental protection officer said: “This is another example of someone incurring additional expense because of their anti-social behaviour.

“There is never a good excuse to throw litter in the street and we owe it to the majority of our residents who support our ongoing commitment to keeping the district a safe, clean and green living environment to take action in cases like this.”