A teenager accused of dropping a cigarette butt has escaped a fine after proving the litterbug wasn’t him.
Jake Poundsbery, 18, of Queen Victoria Avenue in Hove, was accused of dropping the fag end in Western Road on Hallowe’en last year.
He was due to be one of several people dealt with at Brighton Magistrates Court yesterday for failing to pay a penalty notice issued by former council contractor 3GS.
But Brighton and Hove City Council’s prosecutor Len Batten told the bench: “Mr Poundsbery supplied further information which proved it was not him.”
Another alleged litterbug, Alshabib Abdullaziz, 19, also escaped without a fine after the court heard that he was no longer at the address he had given 3GS at Greenfield Crescent in Brighton, and there was no forwarding address.
However, after failing to appear to defend themselves for dropping cigarette ends, the following people were all found guilty in their absence and fined £75 and ordered to pay £100 in costs and £30 victim surcharge:
- Emily Andrews, 32, of Gladstone Terrace, Brighton
- Luke Brace, 36, of Bramley Road, Worthing
- Ami Cole, 22, of North Road, Lancing
- Cathy Johns, 52, of Salisbury Road, Hove
- Rebecca Rama, 31, of Roundhouse Crescent, Peacehaven
- Sofia Valasquez, 24, of Bedford Square, Brighton
The council’s contract with 3GS started in February 2016 but was ended in February this year following a clutch of controversial fines being issued.
These included sole traders and people working from home being fined for putting one or two cardboard boxes into residential recycling bins.
Last year, 3GS was taken over by another company, RSG. Although the council said it had made improvements, the contract ended after RSG said it wanted to keep all the money from fines instead of splitting it with the council.
The council has now employed its own team of litter cops, and the fine for littering has been reduced to £55 if paid within 10 days, or £75 if paid later.
