Man caught dropping litter gave false address

A van driver who threw litter from his vehicle at Cross Hands Business Park has been fined a total of £400 by Carmarthen magistrates.

Kevin Toombs has also been ordered to pay £283.19 towards prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The court heard that council environmental enforcement officers were on duty at Cross Hands Business Park on September 14 last year when they saw the driver of a van parked in the Leekes car park get out and brush a paper towel from the footwell of the vehicle onto the ground.

The officers approached the van which was preparing to pull away. Toombs denied deliberately dropping the litter and became obstructive when the officers asked for his details.

He eventually gave an address, however the officers later found out it was false. He then drove off without accepting the fixed penalty notice, shouting “Ring the police and tell them to catch up with me”.

Toombs, of Whitehall Farm, Coal Way Road, Coleford, failed to attend court and was convicted in absence to two offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 – one for dropping litter and the other for providing false details to an authorised officer. He was fined £200 for each offence.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said the council had a zero tolerance towards littering.

“Anyone caught dropping litter will be fined; and if people think they can get away with it by providing false details, then they are wrong. We will catch up with them and we will prosecute them in court,” he said.

“We are determined to clean up Carmarthenshire and if people ignore our advice then we have no choice but to fine them.”