A MAN from Colne has been ordered to pay £575 for throwing a cigarette end on the floor outside his place of work.

Anthony Evans, of Seldon Street, failed to attend Burnley Magistrates’ Court but the case was heard in his absence.

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The court found him guilty and fined him £400 plus ordered him to pay £135 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.

The court heard on October 15, 2014, a Pendle Council environmental crime officer witnessed Mr Evans throw his cigarette end on the floor outside Money Generator in Market Street, Colne.

The council’s officer approached Mr Evans to request his details but Mr Evans would not give them and walked off, magistrates were told.

But despite him claiming he did not work at Money Generator, the officer was able to confirm Mr Evans’ identity with his colleagues there, prosecutors said.

The council returned the following day and Mr Evans confirmed his details.

Magistrates heard he was later issued with a fixed penalty notice, carrying a fine of £75, but this went unpaid.

As a result, he ended up being summonsed to court.

Councillor David Clegg, Pendle Council’s executive member for environmental services, said: “They may be small, but cigarette ends are still classed as litter when they’re flicked onto the floor.

“Dropping them could see you pick up a sizeable fine.

“This prosecution should serve as a warning to anyone that they can face a hefty fine, all for failing to do the decent thing and put their rubbish in the bin.”

A spokeswoman from Keep Britain Tidy said: “Littering is not only anti-social but it is illegal.

“We spend £1 billion pounds a year in England, clearing away 30 tonnes of litter from our streets.

“This is an unacceptable amount of money for council’s to spend, which could be spent on education, recreation and health.

“We encourage everyone to put their litter in the litter bins that are provided in town centres, or to take their rubbish home with them.”

To report anyone who you see dropping litter, including cigarette butts, call the council on 01282 661743.