Taxi driver fined £1,600 for throwing cigarette butt on the floorA TAXI driver has been fined for smoking in his car, throwing his cigarette butt out of the window, refusing to give his name, and failing to display no-smoking signs.
Tallat Mahmood, of Burton, was spotted in November by a council enforcement officer discarding his cigarette end onto the pavement of South Broadway Street, Burton.
The officer attempted to deal with these matters by means of fixed penalty notices, however the driver refused to provide his name or address stating 'no name' to the officer meaning a further offence was committed.
For each of the four offences proven by the council, Mr Mahmood – who failed to attend the hearing at South East Staffordshire Magistrates' Court – was fined £200.
He was convicted in his absence and also ordered to pay costs of £862 and a victim surcharge of £20, totalling £1,682.
Since the Health Act was introduced, all premises are required to be smoke-free if open to the public.
Furthermore, the act also applies where the premises is used as a place of work – including vehicles ranging anywhere from 'train, vessel, aircraft and hovercraft' as quoted within the Act.
Dropping litter is also an illegal act.
Anyone seen committing such an offence is obliged to provide their name and address to an authorised officer of the council when requested.
Councillor Jacqui Jones, deputy leader of regulatory services, said: "This prosecution serves to demonstrate that smoking in a 'smoke free' environment and littering will not be tolerated by the council.
"The legislation is there to protect both people and our environment."
A fixed penalty notice exists to give the offender the opportunity to admit the offence and pay a lower fine in the expectation that the offence will not be repeated.
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