Cigarette butts and rubbish dropped see 15 litter louts fined
More than a dozen people were on the receiving end of criminal records and hefty fines after dropping litter in Devon
Fifteen people were spotted dropping cigarettes and in one case a cardboard box on the streets and car parks of Plymouth.
They were taken to court by the city council after failing to pay £100 penalty notices.
Plymouth magistrates have handed out fines of £454 to a dozen of the offenders, with the others receiving lesser punishment.
All now have criminal records.
Cllr Maddi Bridgeman, Plymouth City Council's cabinet member for the environment and street scene, said: "The laws are very simple - don't drop litter. They're not difficult to follow and most people manage it.
"Cases like this prove that if you're not prepared to follow the law, it will catch up with you and it will cost you."
A council spokesperson said all 15 people were spotted dropping or leaving litter by a council environmental enforcement officer.
Most dropped cigarettes in the city centre in December.
They were all handed Fixed Penalty Notices for £100 at the time. But following several reminders, the bills went unpaid and they were summoned to court.
Of the 15, only one attended court to admit an offence, but they were all found guilty in their absence after a lawyer for the council read out evidence.
Magistrates fined the offenders on the basis pf a presumed income unless they told the court differently. Most had 28 days from their hearings to find the money.
A couple, Christopher Lewis and Naomi Reeves, were held in custody overnight after failing to attend court to answer a charge of leaving a sofa in a lane.
They were each fined £120, ordered to pay £300 in costs and made to pay compensation of £23 and a victim surcharge of £34.
The following were fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £34.
JOSHUA ANDERSON, aged 19, of Westfield, Plympton, dropped a cigarette in Western Approach on December 12 last year.
REECE BAILEY, aged 25, of Howarth in Yorkshire, dropped a cigarette in Armada Way on December 2.
ROBERT JAMES COOK, aged 44, of Briardale Road, North Prospect: dropped a cigarette in New George Street on December 23.
JUSTIN GODFREY, aged 51, of Albert Road, Stoke: dropped a cigarette in Armada Way on December 9.
GIORGIANNA GOURLAY, aged 21, of Brickfields Close, Devonport: dropped a cigarette in Armada Way on December 2.
KEVIN HOPKINS. aged 61, of Devonport Road, Stoke: left a cardboard box in Stoke Village car park behind the Stoke Inn on or before February 8 this year.
TOMASZ MICKIEWICZ, aged 51, of King Street, Stonehouse: dropped a cigarette in Cornwall Street on December 10.
JACK PAGE, aged 26, of Clifton Terrace, Liskeard: dropped a cigarette in Royal Parade on December 10.
NASEEM RAHEEM, aged 22, of Churchlands Road, Woolwell: dropped a cigarette in Cornwall Street on December 2.
BRUCE SINCLAIR, aged 59, of Union Street, Stonehouse: dropped a cigarette in Cornwall Street on December 10.
TREVOR SPICER, aged 52, of Victoria Place, Stoke: dropped a cigarette in Molesworth Road on December 9.
JOHN THOMAS, aged 61, of Acre Place, Devonport: dropped a cigarette in Royal Parade on December 4.
The following were fined £220, ordered to pay £100 costs and a victim surcharge of £34. They had cooperated with the council.
ROSS BENNETT, aged 22, of Sutherland Road, Mutley: dropped a cigarette in Colin Campbell Court car park on December 16
STEVEN CUMMINGS, aged 46, of Keppel Street, Stoke: dropped a cigarette in Armada Way on December 22.
The following was fined £40, ordered to pay costs of £25 and a £34 victim surcharge because he attended, pleaded guilty and argued reduced means.
JACK JOSEPHINE, aged 24, of Foxhill, Axminster: dropped a cigarette in New George Street on December 7.