it will copy & paste mate
A taxi driver in Lincolnshire has been forced to pay up over £230 after being caught smoking in his own cab.
Kevin Doughty was spotted smoking a cigarette in his Ford Mondeo by a council officer on August 31 last year.
He refused to pay the £30 fixed penalty notice within 15 days of it being served and has now been convicted and told to stump up a hefty fine after appearing at Lincoln Magistrates' Court on April 5.
Doughty pleaded not guilty to the offence on St Peter's Hill in Grantham at an earlier hearing, claiming he was vaping an e-cigarette in the vehicle at the time while not on duty.
But the South Kesteven District Council officer maintained it was a tobacco cigarette he was smoking and said the driver did not claim at the time of the incident that it was an electronic version he was using.
District Judge Peter Veits said: "Smoking includes being in possession of lit tobacco according to the definition of the legislation.
"Mr Doughty, you claimed it was e-cigarette you were smoking but why though did you not bring that up at the time of the conversation?
"Instead you chose to be indignant with the officer over why she was troubling you at 7.30am in the morning and it undermines your evidence. I am convicting you of smoking in a smoke free environment."
Smoking a tobacco cigarette in any taxi or private hire vehicle breaks rules that were introduced in August 2015 where drivers must not smoke in their vehicles even when they do not have passengers or if using the taxi when off duty.
Ian Yates, executive manager for environment at South Kesteven District Council, said: "We know the vast majority of licensed taxi drivers in South Kesteven are very responsible around the legislation relating to smoking in their vehicles.
"However this case highlights the consequences for those tempted to flout the rules and subsequently expose their passengers to tobacco smoke – whether using the vehicle when on or off duty.
"Mr Doughty has been left to pay a bill seven times the amount compared with paying this at the earliest opportunity and simply admitting he had made an error."
Doughty was found guilty of a single offence under the Health Act 2006, fined £100, ordered to pay £100 costs and given a £30 victim surcharge.