Court Fine Of Nearly £500 For Chiswick ' Litter Lout'

One of a group taken to court by Hounslow Council for not paying original fine

A Chiswick resident had a litter fine increased by almost 900 per cent as part of a Hounslow Council campaign which saw eighteen people taken to court.

Initial £80 fines which could have been settled for £65 if paid in within ten days, were increased to £220 by order of magistrates at Feltham Magistrates’ Court.

Each fine dodger also has to pay court costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £22 bringing the total fine to almost £450.

Eight prosecutions were withdrawn after most of these people cleared their fine before the court date. Most of the offenders were from Hounslow but there was one from Chiswick, and others from Richmond, Isleworth, Feltham and one from Woolwich.

One case was adjourned for two weeks. Three attended court and pleaded guilty.
Eighteen people were ordered to pay a total £442 in their absence and collection orders were issued.

Councillor Sue Sampson, Hounslow’s cabinet member for community protection, said: “Those who are fined should accept their error and pay their penalty. If they don’t we will not hesitate to take legal action and publically name them, as the courts allow us to do.

“Last year, more than £4m was spent keeping our streets clean. This could have been better spent protecting services like adult social care and looked after children.”

September 23, 2016