Llandysul woman fined for litter offence
A Llandysul woman has been fined after being caught throwing a cigarette end in Carmarthen town centre.
Louise Edith Davies, aged 37, of The Beeches in Llandysul, pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.
The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on patrol in Merlin’s Walk in Carmarthen town centre when they saw a woman throw a cigarette end onto the pavement.
The officers approached the woman and explained what they had seen and that it was an offence to throw litter. She was issued with a with a fixed penalty notice of £75, however she failed to pay it and as a result was prosecuted through the magistrates court.
Due to her limited means, Davies was fined £80 by magistrates and ordered to pay £50 towards prosecution costs.
The council hopes this case will now act as a warning to others that those caught breaking the law will be prosecuted.
Research shows that discarded cigarette ends make up the largest proportion of litter in Carmarthenshire found on 83 per cent of streets.
Executive board member for the environment Councillor Philip Hughes said: “There is no excuse for littering our streets. Many people do not think of cigarette ends as litter, but it is. It makes an area look unsightly and it is difficult and very expensive to clean up as the ends fall into grates and cracks in the pavement.
“We do not want to fine people but the council is determined to clean up the county and has no choice but to punish those that break the law in this way.”
Louise Edith Davies, aged 37, of The Beeches in Llandysul, pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.
The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on patrol in Merlin’s Walk in Carmarthen town centre when they saw a woman throw a cigarette end onto the pavement.
The officers approached the woman and explained what they had seen and that it was an offence to throw litter. She was issued with a with a fixed penalty notice of £75, however she failed to pay it and as a result was prosecuted through the magistrates court.
Due to her limited means, Davies was fined £80 by magistrates and ordered to pay £50 towards prosecution costs.
The council hopes this case will now act as a warning to others that those caught breaking the law will be prosecuted.
Research shows that discarded cigarette ends make up the largest proportion of litter in Carmarthenshire found on 83 per cent of streets.
Executive board member for the environment Councillor Philip Hughes said: “There is no excuse for littering our streets. Many people do not think of cigarette ends as litter, but it is. It makes an area look unsightly and it is difficult and very expensive to clean up as the ends fall into grates and cracks in the pavement.
“We do not want to fine people but the council is determined to clean up the county and has no choice but to punish those that break the law in this way.”
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