Penalty for disposing of a cigarette butt

[Guest Anonymous]

Here's an interesting story which has just come to my attention.

A woman has been threatened by legal action for disposing of a cigarette butt in a drain in Lerwick.

The penalty is either a £50 fine, or attend a 1 day course.

 

WTF?????

 

This is, as far as I can understand a council department which is behind this stupidity.

In Norway if somebody is caught disposing of a cigarette butt in such a responsible manner, they would be thanked by the authorities for their care and consideration to fire safety.

 

I will hopefully get some more info on this ridiculous case soon, but in the meantime, has anybody ever heard of anything so stupid?

 

Maybe this is yet another example of the SIC having staff who need to justify their existance.

[Siccar]

http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/toxic-litter-butts

 

whats the problem?

[Medziotojas]

CCTV, wait till they get microphones in them suckers... breaking wind...

[Guest Anonymous]

Rasmie , be blide to be dare n no here , wis i was dare tu, gettin to be a p**ck o a place here

[Guest Anonymous]

This is a classic cooncil f'up, but the lady in question is very concerned about it. I told her to forget about possible criminal record and report it to the front page of the Shetland Times.

I'm waiting for the details, then I'll pass it to a few contacts at National press. Yet another notable mention for Shetland.

[Guest Anonymous]

http://pollution-control.suite101.com/article.cfm/toxic-litter-butts

 

whats the problem?

 

Throw it away, it's a problem.

Dispose of it in a sensible manner it isn't a problem.

If you live in an area, like I do, where fire could be a concern in Summer, then possibly you would realise why disposing of a butt in a drain is a very sensible thing to do.

[Guest Anonymous]

is braaly bad ower n abun dat tho , no da Shetland it i wid run back tae ageen

[Ghostrider]

First tocht wis dat sax days wir geen amissin upoa da Auld Een's calendar dis year already ....bit den I mindit dis is da SIC we're spaekin aboot.

 

They'll fitting a camera to every sink, bath, urinal and throne in Shetland next, to make sure nobody is surreptitiously disposing of butt ends in any drain.

[Siccar]

Yea, wir AWFUL buddered wi yun forest fires In shetlan

[Guest Anonymous]

is braaly bad ower n abun dat tho , no da Shetland it i wid run back tae ageen

No da Shetlan dat I wid budder aboot comin back tae igyen. Da Norskie fok ken foo tae mak fok feel in aboot.

I'm waiting for a scan of the accusation document from the persecuted person, then I'll ask for an opinion from a legally minded friend, but it is always interesting to hear the thoughts of Shetlinkers.

[Guest Anonymous]

no aabody at wants ta hear my towts lol, but yae, just as weel aff in a better country

[Guest Anonymous]

OK, I've got the scanned document.

And after pissing myself laughing for a while, here's the basics:

 

"I Margaret Dunne, an authorised officer of Shetland Islands Council have reason to believe that on Wednesday 24th March 2010 at 0859 you committed an olffence of leaving litter, under section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, at the lower entrance to the **** ***** ******** ******. Lerwick. This Notice offers you the opportunity of discharging any liability to conviction for that offence by payment of a fixed penalty. The circumstances alleged to constitute the offence are as follows:

Dropped cigarette end on the ground.

 

That's the basics of the document from the SIC, no names mentioned apart from the person who makes the charge, and if she is crazy enough to support such a charge, she deserves to be mentioned.

 

You really have to laugh at this. It belongs in Up Helly Aa, and I'm sure that it will be next year. In the mean time I'll forward the document to the national press just for the hell of it. Shetland down the tube once more.

[Guest Anonymous]

Just figured this all out.

£50 fine for chucking a fag butt, multiplied by 5000 = Dave Clark

[Guest Anonymous]

doot dat margaret dunne is in line for a fair bit a stick , n quite rightly so

[Ghostrider]

It poses the question, where exactly is a person supposed to dispose of a fag end....in a litter bin, and set it afire.

 

Call me stupid, but I would think that would be likely to bring a lot more serious charge, something like arson, or at least reckless behaviour....