A Pendine man has been prosecuted for littering in McDonalds Carmarthen car park. Stephen Jones was convicted at Ammanford Magistrates Court in his absence of an offence under the Environmental Protection Act.
The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court was told that at 2.25pm on Wednesday October 28 last year, local authority environmental enforcement officers were sitting in an unmarked vehicle parked in the McDonalds overflow car park in Carmarthen.
Officers witnessed the male passenger of a silver Vauxhall car lean out of the window of the vehicle and place a McDonald’s fast food bag on the floor. The environmental enforcement officers approached the man, Stephen Jones, and pointed out the offence they had just witnessed.
When Mr Jones was asked why he hadn’t put the rubbish in the bin. He replied “the bin was full; I didn’t want it to go on the floor”. When asked why he hadn’t used another bin or simply pushed the rubbish down with his rubbish to make room, Jones replied “Why should I, the bin is right there”.
A Fixed Penalty Notice was issued to 22-year-old Jones, of Wood End, Pendine. The council received a cheque for £75 December 24, which was passed to the chief cashier for payment on January 5 but was returned as unpaid. Jones was therefore reported for summons. Jones was fined £175 and ordered to pay £200 towards prosecution costs.
The council’s executive board member for the environment Councillor Haydn Jones said: “Dropping litter is against the law, whether it is discarding rubbish from a vehicle, throwing cigarette ends or spitting out chewing gum.
“This will not be tolerated and the culprits will be punished. There is no excuse for littering our streets.”
