Legal Advice

[Euronymous]

Last month a friend and I went to Worcester for a day at the races. We got the Preston to Birmingham train and had a bit of time before our onward connection so went to a pub just outside New Street Station. I had a cigarette outside the station and put it out by chucking it down a grid whereupon I was approached by Bobby Law and handed a fixed penalty notice for littering.

This notice said I could pay £50 within ten days or risk a bigger fine and then a trip to court. My immediate thought was this is just a money making scam and most people will pay to avoid the hassle and they wouldn't follow up. I was wrong about that and they have written back to me demanding £75 now or I will be prosecuted.

The thing is outside the station there were no visible means of extinguishing my tab, no bins. The nearest appliance was across the street partially obscured in a shop front. I also didn't just chuck it on the floor, I aimed for a grid.

So have I got a case or should I just pay up?

 

[Grasshopper]

For £75 it's not worth the aggravation of a potential court case, and any peripheral shite that might go with.

I'd pay.....with bags of 1p pieces.

 

[simmo]

Can they prove you threw the cigarette butt down the drain? Not sure about England, but in Scotland there would need to have been 2 officers present (or you admit it) for them to be able to nail you for it.

The lack of facilities would be irrelevant I'd guess - you could have stubbed it and put it in your pocket.

 

[clivex]

Should have stubbed out in the pigs eye

 

[Tout Seul]

With Grassy on this. Not worth the hassle- put it down as a piece of life's shite that turns up now and again.

 

[Euronymous]

Should have stubbed out in the pigs eye

Before the charge was made he asked me for ID and I showed him my works pass so that wasn't an option

To be fair free train travel is such a massive perk that I suppose I should just shrug it off.

 

[EC1]

if its police..best pay

we had a push on this in our town a few years ago...council payed a bloke to prey on folk..used to see him piking round corners at smokers...most people told him to f00k off and wouldn't give any details if he challenged them..they soon give up with it..but as its plod..i'd pay now..rather than later

biggest enemy is bloody chewing gum on the pavements..thats what they should be fining people for

best thing smokers can do is turn Muslim...they would never get bothered then

 

[granger]

The filth should have higher priorities in Birmingham

 

[Desperate Dan]

******** Plebs

 

[harry]

We got a "special" policeman around here: you know the ones who are kinked up with a badge and a bike but not really a copper......absolute tool taking photos of cars parked on pavements and posting them up on trees etc.

With any luck a dustbin lorry will flatten him

 

[CPGagie]

"I'd pay.....with bags of 1p pieces."

You can't, tried years ago and they won't have changed.

How are you supposed to keep up with all the acts and statutes that the Government brings in. You could say you're not a law student, don't keep track of such changes, and you see people on the TV do it all the time. You were watching The Sweeney only last night, and Regan did it and didn't aim for a drain, so you presumed it would be fine.

They wonder why theres an 'us and them' mentality?

 

[BennyB]

Just pay it.

Shouldn't have been littering in the first place.

 

[clivex]

Before the charge was made he asked me for ID and I showed him my works pass so that wasn't an option

To be fair free train travel is such a massive perk that I suppose I should just shrug it off.

Ive been pulled over for a stupid fine in the last week. Its just not worth it but with you on the anger. What the **** is the problem with one fag end in the street? Absolutely stupid