The charges came due to failures to pay initial £150 fines issued by the council
17 residents were convicted of failing to pay fines and appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court in August(Image: East Riding of Yorkshire Council)
Thousands of pounds in fines were collected from Hull residents in August who all were caught littering and failed to pay council-issued fines. Fines amounting to £7,057 were issued to 17 residents who failed to pay initial fines of £150 issued by Hull City Council. They were criminally charged with failing to pay the fines and appeared at Hull Magistrates’ Court.
The fines averaged £415 each. A Hull City Council boss said littering “will not be tolerated” and urged residents to work together to stop the city from looking “unsightly”. He said the majority of residents take care of the city by disposing of litter properly.
All 17 residents left court with hundreds less in their pockets and a mark on their criminal records. Hull City Council issues a £150 fine to anyone seen littering, but this can climb to £2,500 in a Magistrates’ Court due if they fail to pay.
Councillor Charles Quinn, portfolio holder for environment at Hull City Council, said: “We know that most residents in Hull take care of our city and dispose of their litter responsibly. However, there are still individuals who think it’s acceptable to throw down litter – it makes the city look unsightly. By taking enforcement action, we want to make it absolutely clear that littering will not be tolerated. To avoid being fined or prosecuted, we urge residents to always dispose of their rubbish properly and in accordance with the law.”
Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, makes it an offence for any person to throw down, drop or otherwise deposit and leave litter.
To report people responsible for littering (this includes littering from vehicles or businesses), visit Littering | Hull , or call, 01482 300 300. The council urges anyone issued with a fine for littering to pay it to avoid prosecution.
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