Woman fined for dropping litter

A PORT Talbot woman has been prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council for dropping litter.

Paula Catrina Upton, aged 34, of Villiers Street, Port Talbot, was convicted in absence to an offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court.

The court heard that council environmental enforcement officers were on duty in the Co-op car park in Cross Hands Business Park when they saw a woman get out of a vehicle and drop a piece of litter onto the grass.

The officers approached the woman and explained who they were and what they had witnessed. When asked why she did it, she said:“ I didn’t want any rubbish in the car.”

Upton was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 but failed to pay it and was prosecuted in court as a result.

She was fined £200 and ordered to pay £303.64 towards prosecution costs as well as a £15 victim surcharge.

The council hopes this case will now act as a warning to others that anyone caught dropping litter will be prosecuted.

Dropping litter is against the law, whether it is discarding rubbish from a vehicle, throwing cigarette ends or spitting out chewing gum.

Enforcement officers carry out patrols across Carmarthenshire seven-days-a-week.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We don’t want to fine people but if this is the only of getting the message through, then we have no choice.

“We are determined to clean up Carmarthenshire for both residents and visitors.”

On average the council removes around 40 tonnes of litter every week at a cost of approximately £2.2 million a year.