Sunderland's new £100 PSPO fines will only affect the stupid

Whenever a clampdown on antisocial behaviour or low-level crime is announced, it is invariably met with the same, dim-witted response.

"Huh. If only they put as much effort into catching real criminals."

Sunderland City Council has announced new powers to tackle obnoxious, entirely unnecessary and indefensible behaviour.

Being forced to do what ought to be natural common courtesy is not an infringement of civil liberty.

It is right that people are punished if they discard cigarette ends, allow a dog to park its elevenses on the pavement, churn up football pitches with motorbikes, etc.

All these unlawful activities are extremely easy to eschew, so please don't grouse when fines are handed out.

Yet grouse they do. An irrational opinion persists among a slow yet vocal minority that, for example, taking a shopping trolley from a designated retail area and dumping it elsewhere is something to be ignored by the authorities - unless the Cosa Nostra is somehow involved.

The council has agreed to renew and expand powers under Sunderland’s Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) and the antisocial can (amusingly) be fined £100.

Incidentally you may NOT, if a council bod asks for your name and address under PSPO provisions, lawfully ignore them. In fact you can be fined for failing to comply.

This is mandated by central government under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014; although many a naïve social media user doesn't believe this.

Another myth is that we aren't allowed to feed ducks. We are (but please don't give them bread). It's gulls and pigeons we can't feed; and for good reasons which are to the benefit of gulls, pigeons and humans alike.

Essentially the new powers amount to penalising the stupid, as evidenced by "defences" proffered such as "I couldn't see a bin anywhere" (so what?), "Where else are they supposed to ride their quadbikes?" and "They're only fining people 'cos they want the money."

They'd need the money a lot less if people followed the incredibly simple and completely reasonable rules.

It's a pity that these fines ever need to be issued; yet undeniably entertaining when they are.