Woman who threw away losing scratchcard in Sunderland cemetery hit with £455 fine

Sharon Tighe, of Hylton Road, Sunderland, was seen tossing the card on June 25 last year.

She was one of four defendants ordered to cough up more than £450 each for littering – Kirsten Townsend, of Arundel Road, Farringdon, was fined for dropping a cigarette end in Fawcett Street on June 21; Claire Thoms, of Redditch Square was fined for dropping a cigarette outside the Galleries shopping centre on June 23; and Kelly Hardy, of Balfour Street, Houghton, was fined for dropping a cigarette end at Newbottle Street on July 5.

The prosecutions were brought by Sunderland City Council and the fines imposed at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court.

Magistrates heard the defendants were initially issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £150 for littering but failed to pay despite reminder letters.

Because they failed to appear in court, all the cases were found proven in absence with a £220 fine and costs of £235 each.

Lauren Stanness, of Runnymede Road, Redhouse, was fined £660 with costs of £463.20 and a victim surcharge of £66 for failing to assist with an investigation into fly-tipping.

Evidence identified amongst the waste suggested it belonged to Stannes but despite repeated requests, she failed to cooperate with the council’s investigation. Stanness also failed to attend an appointment on the matter. She did not attend court and her case was proven in absence.

A dog walker who breached a Public Space Protection Order by allowing her dog to enter a prohibited designated area also landed a fine.

Claire Gilbert, of Tilbury Road, allowed her dog onto Roker Beach, which prohibits dogs between May 1 and September 30, with warning signs clearly displayed at entry and exit points.

She pleaded guilty by post and was fined £56, with costs of £235.00 and a victim surcharge of £34.00.

Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and Cabinet Member for the Environment, Coun Claire Rowntree said: "Most people manage to dispose of their cigarette ends and rubbish properly. Unfortunately, there is a minority who do not do this, and they run the risk of Fixed Penalty Notices for littering - and if they ignore warning letters, they can face court action.

"These fines show that we are determined to crack down on littering and fly-tipping and that we will not put up with the minority who cannot dispose of their waste properly and legally."

The wish of residents to see more enforcement action was one of the key things to come out of the City Council's Let's Talk consultation in 2020.

In the last two years, 580 people have received Fixed Penalty Notices for littering in Sunderland, of which 94 have been prosecuted for non-payment.

All the revenue generated from fixed penalty notices, including costs and compensation awarded by the courts, is ploughed back into the service and helps pay towards the costs of cleaning up litter and fly-tipping, keeping highways clean, and enforcement against littering graffiti and fly-posting.

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