WHILE the £405 fine given to Emily Attwood for dropping a cigarette may seem harsh on the surface, the large amount of money demanded was for far more than just the initial defence – and for that reason, perfectly justified.

The 21-year-old was initially given a £75 on the spot fine for dropping the butt, and a further £75 sanction for refusing to give her identity details to the warden.

When she then failed to pay those fines, and ignored two warning letters, she found herself called to court to face justice – but didn't go, instead pleading guilty in her absence.

Magistrates ordered Atwood to pay a fine of £100 for dropping the cigarette butt, as well as the £75 for failing to give her name to the enforcement officer, and extra £275 in court costs to make up for time spent on the case, as well as a £30 victim surcharge.

The lesson in all this? Don't bury your head in the sand – or flat out refuse to pay – a fine, because you'll only end up paying more in the long run. Also, this case sends out a strong message that the city council won't tolerate littering – and that very much should be the case.