LITTERBUG APPEAL TRASHED

A GEELONG court has thrown out a Hopetoun Park man’s attempt to have a littering fine torn up, with the man instead left with a cleanup bill worth more than triple the original cost of the fine.

The EPA fined the registered owner of a vehicle $330 after a member of the public reported seeing a female passenger dumping baby wipes in a Wallington carpark in January last year.

Rather than paying up, the man chose to have the matter heard in court, where he pleaded not guilty this month.

But the court found the charge proven and ordered him to pay a fine of $330, while also covering the EPA’s $855.47 legal bill.

Members of the public can report pollution by calling EPA’s 24-hour hotline on 1300 EPA VIC (1300 372 842) or providing details online at epa.vic.gov.au/reportpollution/reporting-pollution