Litter lout counts the cost of refusing to pay fine

A WARRINGTON man is counting the cost of dropping litter and refusing to pay a £75 fixed penalty fine.
Magistrates at Warrington fined Thomas Hallsworth £200 and ordered him to pay £512.25 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.
Hallsworth, aged 20, of Swindale Avenue, Orford was found guilty of littering.
The court was told Hallsworth was seen dropping litter in Horsemarket Street, Warrington in March.
A council environmental crime officer issued him with a fixed penalty notice of £75.
He failed to respond to warning letters and was then found guilty by the court.
After the hearing, Peter Astley (pictured), assistant director, regulation and public protection with Warrington Borough Council, said: “We take a
tough stance against littering crime and if people ignore warning letters they will find themselves in court.
“This month, our enforcement officers also issued two residents with fixed penalty notices of £75 for depositing litter despite being only 15 feet from a bin.
“The message is clear – if you think you can avoid a fine you are wrong. Ignorance is no defence for littering in Warrington and it will not be tolerated.”
Cllr Judith Guthrie, the council’s lead member for environment and public protection said: “It is everyone’s responsibility to keep the town clean and free from litter. The latest prosecutions send out an important message that there is zero tolerance for littering in Warrington and should deter others who think they can get away with it.”