‘It’s a complete shame my candy, outdated father was fined £250 as a result of he spat out a leaf’: Daughter claims council enforcement officers are terrorising the aged
The daughter of an 86-year-old who says he was fined for spitting out a leaf has blasted council officers – saying they are ‘terrorising the elderly’.
Roy Marsh was slapped with a £250 fine after the incident while walking around a boating lake in Skegness, Lincolnshire.
The grandfather said officers from East Lindsey District Council approached him after he paused for a rest near some reeds on a windy day earlier this year. He said they then accused him of spitting.
His daughter Jane Fitzpatrick said the pensioner, who has walking difficulties, a heart condition and severe asthma, was targeted by the enforcement officers.
Ms Fitzpatrick said the fine was a ‘disgrace’ and accused the council of ‘picking on’ elderly residents.
A fine of £250 was issued after the incident in February. It was later reduced on appeal to £150 – which Mr Marsh paid.
However, still feeling aggrieved by the decision, Mr Marsh asked his daughter to share his story on Facebook to express their outrage.
Roy Marsh, 86, was given a £250 fine by council enforcement officers ‘after spitting out a leaf’ while out on a walk in the town
Jane Fitzpatrick said her father was targeted by the council enforcement officers
The father-of-one and grandfather-of-two used to run a bus and taxi company with his wife Anne, 76, prior to their retirement.
His daughter added: ‘He’s a sweet old guy, and he’s lived in Skegness all his life.
‘He wouldn’t hurt a fly, and these buggers are picking on the elderly, and it’s just heartbreaking.
‘He could have said “no, I’m not giving you my details”, but because he was old, and these guys are saying “we’re enforcing the law and blah blah, blah”, dad paid up – he quite literally coughed up.
‘My dad joked with them at first and said: “Was I going too fast on my wheels, was I speeding?”, and then the guy said: “No, you spat”.
‘My dad said “No, I never spit, it was just I’ve got COPD and a heart problem, and I was choking on a leaf and I was panicking, and I coughed the leaf up”.
‘So, yes, it’s a bit rubbish.’
‘My dad’s quite stoic, but it shook him up.
‘He wouldn’t go on his walk for a while because he was really upset by it, genuinely, really upset by it.’
Mr Marsh, pictured with wife Anne, asked his daughter to share his story on social media
After sharing the story on social media, it became viral and was seen around the world.
Other residents also came forward with their own stories, claiming officers have been following them around the town.
Ms Fitzpatrick said a local councillor received 66 complaints from other people who are all elderly, frail and vulnerable.
She added: ‘I think they’re targeting certain sort of generational groups, because I think that they know that those groups won’t argue.
‘I would love to get my dad his 150 quid back, because he was gutted about that.
‘He’s a pensioner, and it’s 150 quid for nothing, literally nothing.
‘So maybe, with all the furore, the council might give him his money back?’
She said her dad is really well-known and liked in Skegness, after moving to the resort as a teenager.
His taxi and bus business had an exclusive contract to transport people in and out of the nearby Butlins complex.
She said: ‘Skegness is a lovely town, and I absolutely agree that it needs to be kept clean and tidy – it just needs some common sense.’
Roy and wife Anne used to run a bus and taxi company in Skegness before they retired
Mr Marsh said the incident with the enforcement officers left him ‘anxious about going out’.
Speaking about the incident on Wednesday, he said: ‘As I was sitting there, a gale blew a big reed into my mouth. I spat it out and just as I got up to walk away two guys (enforcement officers) came up to me.
‘It was all unnecessary and all out of proportion,’ he added.
‘It was something that could have happened to anyone. It’s left me anxious about going out.’
Mr and Mrs Marsh said the enforcement officers shouted after him: ‘Hey you, we’ve got reason to believe you’ve been spitting.’
Mr Marsh said: ‘I was shocked when they approached me. I don’t know where they appeared from.
‘I’ve been back down there filming today for the local TV news and it was windy again – a leaf smacked me right in the face while we were walking so it could have happened again.’
Mr Marsh said the issue resurfaced after he was spoken to again several weeks later while walking around the boating lake. He explained that he had taken a tissue from his pocket and tucked it into his glove but had not dropped anything.
Mrs Marsh said: ‘Roy didn’t spit – how many 86-year-olds do you know who go around spitting? It’s a dirty habit.
‘This really upset him. We’ve watched these officers approach many older people since. It’s like they are bullies.’
In her original Facebook post, Ms Fitzpatrick wrote: ‘These officers are unreasonably harassing and terrorising older people and it is a total disgrace!! How can we stop them?’
Martin Foster, portfolio holder for operational services at East Lindsey District Council, said: ‘While we can’t go into circumstances of individual cases, enforcement officers working on behalf of the council will only approach individuals who have been seen committing environmental crime offences.
‘This includes spitting as a form of littering.
‘The council closely monitors data on enforcement actions, including those relating to such things as littering, fly-tipping and dog-related offences.
‘This shows that patrols are not targeted at any specific demographic. We also monitor practices to ensure they are not discriminatory and remain compliant with the Equality Act.
‘Our ultimate aim is to invoke a change in behaviour and stop people committing environmental crime so residents and visitors alike can enjoy a clean and safe environment.’
