A total of 15 County Durham litterbugs have been fined for littering. Although no defendants appeared at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court on Wednesday 28 June, 12 were found guilty in their absence, while three defendants pleaded guilty via post. The 15 defendants were all given a fine of £220, with the exception of two who were given a reduced fine of £40 for submitting early guilty pleas. All defendants were also ordered to pay a £30 victim surcharge and £130 in legal costs, with the exception of Mark and Samantha Jackson who were not ordered to pay costs due to mitigating circumstances.
Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourhood protection manager, said: “It really does take very little effort to dispose of your litter responsibly but the consequences of not doing so can be very costly. “The 15 people whose cases have been heard at court this week are facing a combined bill of almost £5,520, with the vast majority now £380 out of pocket. “We know that littering is a concern for residents across the county. Hopefully, these latest prosecutions help demonstrate our continued commitment to cracking down on the problem.” All the offences took place in various locations within the County Durham area.
