Mount Bures man to pay almost £1,000 after dropping cigarette butt in Braintree

Chelmsford Magistrates' Court

Mark Finlay, 24, was prosecuted by Braintree District Council (BDC) for the offence after he was spotted throwing the butt from his vehicle in Millenium Way, Braintree, on August 4.

Finlay, of Bells Hill, disputed a £75 fine and pleaded not guilty by post.

However he failed to attend Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court for a hearing on Monday, and was found guilty in his absence.

Magistrates fined him £400, ordered him to pay £540 costs and pay a £40 victim surcharge.

A second offender, Lee Hunnable-Letch, 29, of Aylesbury Drive, Great Notley, was also taken to the court on Monday for the same offence dating back to June 26 last year.

He denied dropping a butt from his vehicle in Coggeshall Road, Braintree, and spoke in court, but was found guilty after the court heard evidence from a witness.

He was fined £200, ordered to pay £500 costs and a victim surcharge of £20.

Wendy Schmitt, cabinet member for place at BDC, said: “Sadly people often think that dropping a cigarette butt either in the street or from a vehicle does not constitute littering.

“As such we have run major campaigns based around education mixed with enforcement, informing people that this is littering, it’s not something we want to see in our towns, and if you are caught you will face a fine.

“I am sure these individuals are regretting their actions but, as these cases go to show, where appropriate we will look to prosecute and as we have seen here you could end up with a significant financial penalty.”