A MAN has been prosecuted by Cambridge City Council for littering from a car in Cambridge.

Cambridge Magistrates’ Court ordered Daniel Newton, of Humphrey Close, Barton Seagrave, to pay a total of £731 for littering from a car, which is a criminal offence under section 87/88 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

The court heard that Mr Newton was witnessed discarding a cigarette from the window of a black Volkswagen in Mansel Way, Kings Hedges, in March 2022 by the council’s enforcement officers.

Mr Newton had claimed the cigarette he discarded was biodegradable but the matter was referred to the court.

Mr Newton entered a guilty plea and was fined a total of £150, based on the amount a fixed penalty notice would have been. Mr Newton was also ordered to pay a contribution to the council’s costs of £365 and a £33 victim surcharge.

Cllr Rosy Moore, Executive Councillor for Climate Change, Environment and City Centre, said: “Our residents want our city to be kept as clean as possible and all levels of environmental crime are to be taken very seriously.

“There are many unsung heroes helping to keep their own communities clean and tidy. It is a shame that some ruin it for others, so it is only right that we take action against those who choose to litter.

“Cigarette butts may be small, but they are made of a form of plastic which takes up to ten years to degrade. They are full of toxic chemicals which are harmful to the environment, including birds and aquatic life, if they wash into our waterways.

“Littering is a crime, and we will continue to act against those who feel this behaviour is appropriate. I urge anyone who witnesses littering to report it to us so that action can be taken.”

To report littering, go to: cambridge.gov.uk/report-litter

The case was heard at Cambridge Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 6 September 2022.