Dropped cigarette proves costly for Buxton man

A Harpur Hill man who dropped a cigarette butt in Peak Dale has been fined £450 after he failed to pay a fixed penalty charge issued at the time of the offence.

Chris Hulse, of Harpur Hill Road, was found guilty of littering by magistrates and ordered to pay a fine of £220, costs of £200 and victim surcharge of £30.

The prosecution was brought by High Peak Borough Council in line with one of its core objectives - to support communities to create a healthier, safer, cleaner Borough - after an enforcement officer saw Mr Hulse throw the cigarette end from his vehicle on 6 December last year in Peak Dale.

Councillor Jean Todd, Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and Community Safety, said: "We know that our residents value clean and cared-for public spaces and we're supporting them in that by encouraging people not to drop litter and to pick up after their dogs.

"Where our enforcement officers witness people behaving irresponsibly, we will issue fixed penalty notices as happened on this occasion with Mr Hulse. He failed to pay that notice despite being issued with reminders so we took the case to court which resulted in a much larger fine.

"I hope that people heed the message that we won't sit back and allow a minority of people to spoil public spaces for everyone else and that they either put their litter in on-street bins or take it home with them and dispose of it there."