Veteran fined £150 for leaving folded cardboard box behind bin to be collected

27 July 2023 , 14:08

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Kim Daglish was fined for leaving cardboard box behind her green bin whilst on holiday

An army veteran has been slapped with a £150 fine while away on holiday after leaving a folded cardboard box behind her green bin to be collected.

Kim Daglish is now warning others to stop the same thing happening to them, after she was handed a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for 'leaving litter' in the back lane.

The security worker says she almost had a panic attack when saw the fine but is just thankful it doesn't have to be paid until the beginning of August, else she 'wouldn't be able to eat'.

"I felt physically sick when I opened the letter and almost had a panic attack. I thought, 'How can this be happening to me?'. I am trying to be a good citizen and getting penalised for it. I've even reported fly-tipping in the back service lane in the past." says Kim. "If I give in and pay the fine, I won't get a criminal record and don't risk losing my job."

Kim, who spent 24 years in the Army, says the box was too large to fit into the bin and in the past had been advised by the dustmen to leave it next to her bin.

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Kim says she had been advised by the dustmen to leave extra recycling next to her bin

She adds: "I've been doing this for years. However, according to Plymouth City Council, if you put it out a few days early because you're going away, they will prosecute you, and the only way to appeal the £150 fine is to refuse to pay, get taken to court and risk the fine increasing up to £2,500.", reports Plymouth Live.

"Seems to me that the council is picking on recycling residents, to massage their statistics, as they are a much easier target than true fly-tippers."

Kim from Plymouth adds: "There was no facility to contact the council, in fact, a later letter and email - giving a link to pay the fine - stated that no appeal was possible. My only option was to refuse to pay, get taken to court, and risk an increased fine. I don't want anyone else to get caught out. Residents shouldn't be fined for trying to recycle everything, even if it won't fit in the bin."

Plymouth City Council's website confirms that if people issued with an FPN don’t pay their fine within 14 days, they could get taken to court where they could be fined up to £2,500 for littering and £1,000 for dog offences. It states: "There is no limit for fly tipping fines. You may get a criminal record."

Kim, who loves to recycle, said: "It's easier for the council to catch residents trying to be helpful to make their figures look good. Of course people should be fined for littering and fly-tipping, but I just recycle so much, I am really into recycling, I was just trying to do the right thing."

A Plymouth City Council spokesman said: “Whilst we cannot comment on individual cases we can say that littering in service lanes is an issue that residents complain to us about time and time again which is why we continue to carry out enforcement action.

"Quite simply, if your waste does not fit in your bin, keep it on your property until you can dispose of it, either at one of our household waste recycling centres or by other responsible means."

Sarah Elmes