A cigarette butt thrown out of a car window has cost a Stoke-on-Trent man almost £1,000 after he was taken to court.

An on-duty environmental crime officer spotted the butt being hurled out of a Land Rover Discovery on Lightwood Road.

An investigation revealed the car belonged to Sibtain Khurshid.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council then took Khurshid to court after he failed to respond to a formal notice asking for information relating to the offence on July 11.

Now magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre have ordered Khurshid, of Lightwood Road, to pay a total of £990 in fines and costs for failing to respond to the notice.

For not responding to the notice, Mr Khurshid, of Lightwood Road, was ordered by magistrates at North Staffordshire Justice Centre in his absence to pay a total of £990 in fines and costs.

Speaking after the case, Anthony Munday, cabinet member for greener city, development and leisure, said: "This prosecution should act as a warning that failing to assist in our inquiries is not taken lightly by magistrates and can lead to a hefty fine.

“We’re putting in a lot of time and effort into cleaning up the city, but it makes it so much harder when people are creating unnecessary litter and mess.

Two defendants were fined for dropping cigarettes
The defendant was taken to court after a cigarette butt was thrown out of a car window

"Littering really annoys me because it’s something which has such a negative impact on the appearance of our city, but is also easily avoidable. I know it frustrates our residents too, who have made it clear they want us to crackdown on this type of thing.


“Cigarette butts don’t just disappear – because of the plastic in them, they can take years to decompose. All we ask is that people put their litter in a bin, or take it home with them, instead of throwing it onto the floor. It costs council tax payers a lot of money to clear up after those who don’t dispose of their litter responsibility.”

The court hearing took place on November 19.

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