Littering parking ticket cost Axminster motorist £500

An Axminster motorist who threw a parking charge notice he had received on to the ground whilst visiting Truro in Cornwall, has been fined for littering.

Bodmin Magistrates' Court heard that Ian Pears, of Linseed Drive, parked in a restricted area of Truro, Cornwall, and was given the penalty notice by a civil enforcement officer last October.

The court was told that Pears threw the ticket to the ground and was abusive to the officer, who captured the incident on his body-worn camera.

Pears refused to pay the £150 fine and failed to show up in court where he was convicted in his absence of littering and fined a total of £502 including costs.

This was the first prosecution for littering since the civil enforcement officers had their powers expanded from just traffic offences.

A Cornwall Council spokesman said: "Cornwall has its first prosecution for littering since civil enforcement officers had their powers expanded from traffic offences.

"The incident was captured by the civil enforcement officer's body worn camera. The officer felt it necessary to activate his body worn camera due to the level of abuse being directed at him by Mr Pears."