Court victory for cigarette butt man

A man fined £50 for dropping a cigarette butt down a drain celebrated a victory when the case was thrown out of court.

Benjamin Barton was handed the fixed penalty notice by a council officer who spotted him disposing of the stub in Nottingham city centre.

But he refused to pay it and the case was taken to Nottingham Magistrates' Court last week, where he won.

The 24-year-old told the Nottingham Evening Post: "I am absolutely delighted. I think it was crazy that I was fined and then taken to court in the first place.

"The fact that I have won is not just a victory for me but for the public as well."

Nottingham City Council said it was council policy to issue a £50 fine to anyone seen dropping a cigarette butt in the street.

Community protection officers responsible for handing out the fines can exercise discretion however, and some offences result only in a warning.

A council spokesman said: "We respect the decision of the court and will not take this matter any further."