Smoker ordered to pick up the tab for dropping cigarette

Vicky Hodgson of Hendon Road, Sunderland, had also ignored repeated reminders to pay a £150 fixed penalty notice served on her for the littering offence.

Hodgson was found guilty in her absence after failing to attend the hearing at South Tyneside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 25 February.

She was fined £220 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £88, in addition to legal costs of £150 and enforcement costs of £85.

The court heard that Hodgson had been seen dropping a cigarette end in Waterloo Place in Sunderland city centre in July last year, despite there being litter bins nearby.

A council neighbourhood warden who observed this, approached Hodgson and offered her the chance to accept a Fixed Penalty Notice.

Sunderland City Council began legal proceedings after Hodgson ignored repeated reminders about the £150 Fixed Penalty Notice.

Councillor Lindsey Leonard, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport and Net Zero at Sunderland City Council, said: "There really is no excuse for this kind of behaviour, especially when there were littler bins nearby.

"We know that our residents want to live in a clean and litter-free city and we will continue to take action against anyone who fails to dispose of their cigarette ends or other litter responsibly.

"People who drop litter are not only risking a fixed penalty notice of £150 but could end up being taken to court and ordered to pay even more if they fail to pay up, so it's both better for the environment and cheaper to use a litter bin."