Woman fined £200 for dropping cigarette end

An Amman Valley woman has been fined £200 by magistrates after she was caught dropping a cigarette end on the ground.

Michaela Jackson Griffiths, aged 39, of Heol Felen, Garnant, was also ordered to pay £200 prosecution costs and a £25 victim surcharge.

Griffiths failed to attend Carmarthen Magistrates Court and the offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was proved in her absence.

The court heard that on March 5 earlier this year she was caught by council environmental enforcement officers dropping a cigarette end in Lloyd Street, Ammanford.

Griffiths was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 for the litter offence but she failed to pay it.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We are determined to clean up the county and will take action against anyone who is caught dropping any type of litter.

“Cigarette ends in particular are a nuisance as not only do they look terrible but they are difficult and costly to clean up as they get stuck in grates and cracks in the pavements.”