A crumby fine from council is cancelled

COUNCIL chiefs have cancelled a £50 littering fine handed to a pensioner because he accidentally dropped a few crumbs from a pork pie he was eating on the floor.

Peter Vipham, 75, told how he had bought the snack from Marks & Spencer on Market Street in Manchester city centre and ate it outside the store before two council enforce- ment officers approached him, cautioned him and said they had filmed him littering.

He was subsequently issued with a £50 fixed penalty notice.

Mr Vipham said he recalled a small crumb of pastry fell to the floor and he flicked another off his coat.

But he angrily refuted littering and complained the council of treating him like a criminal.

Now, after the M.E.N. highlighted the strange case, the council has confirmed that Mr Vipham’s fine had been cancelled, saying they accepted he dropped ‘food’ on the floor accidentally.

The council added that after reviewing the video footage, the officers involved had been ‘overzealous in this instance’ and confirmed they would be spoken to so it never happens again.

In a statement to the M.E.N., a council spokesman said: “No one was telling ‘porkie pies’ here but having reviewed the case, we accept that Mr Vipham dropped food on the floor accidentally and that the officers involved were over-zealous in this instance.

“We understand why Mr Vipham found the fine hard to swallow, have cancelled it and will speak to the officers to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again.”

The fine would have increased to £80 after 12 days on non-payment, but Mr Vipham refused to pay.

The retired shoemaker, from Rawtenstall, Lancashire, said after receiving the fine: “It is a strange world. Less than 200 yards away there were hundreds of pigeons with people feeding them.

“If I had dropped litter I would pay the fine, but I never would drop litter.”

Speaking after the council rescinded the fine he said commonsense had prevailed.

“I have called them up but I haven’t had a proper explanation,” he said. “I should really be claiming compensation for all the fret and worry.”