Woman hits out at ‘joke’ fine for dropping fag end
ALITTER enforcement company has defended their ‘zero tolerance’ policy after a businesswoman was fined for dropping a cigarette end down a grate.
Lisa McGrory said it is an ‘absolute joke’ to be hit with a £75 fixed penalty notice for the offence outside Lavish Locks on Blackburn Road in Accrington town centre.
Lisa, who works at the salon, claims she was monitored by Kingdom Services enforcement officers and was issued the fine just seconds after walking back inside.
When she refused to provide her details a PCSO and two police officers were called to the premises and told her she could be arrested.
The Accrington resident said she was not given a chance to clean up the lit- ter and, despite opening the grate and removing the cigarette end, was still told by Kingdom that she had to pay the fine.
Dozens of people have voiced their support for Lisa after she posted about the ‘ crime of the century’ on Facebook.
Speaking to the Observer, she said: “Everyone is going absolutely mad and people are in uproar about it.
“Fair enough if they come up to you and say it’s an offence to do that but they literally waited until we got back in the shop.
“When they said they would call the police I thought ‘are you joking?’
“Like they haven’t got enough already to be doing?.
“My shop got burgled twice last year and it took the police four hours to turn up on both occasions.
“And here they are coming to me within five minutes of putting a cigarette end down a grate It’s a joke.”
Last year Kingdom Services secured a 12-month trial from Hyndburn council to enforce ‘ zero tolerance’ litter and dog fouling laws in the borough.
A spokesperson said: “We operate under the jurisdiction of the council which has a zero tolerance policy.
“If you commit the offence then you are going to have to deal with the payment.”
The incident happened at around 9.30am on Tuesday, January 8.
A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: “We were called as the woman involved refused to provide her details to the enforcement officers.
“When we arrived she provided this information and our involvement ended.”