Grandad, 86, fined £250 for spitting out a leaf that blew into his mouth – as wardens ‘goal aged’
Roy Marsh appealed against his fine but still had to pay £150, and said the incident had left him ‘anxious about going out’ – while his daughter said officers are ‘harassing older people’
An 86-year-old grandad was fined £250 for spitting out a leaf that below into his mouth. Roy Marsh said he was left ‘anxious about going out’ after being accused of spitting on the floor by an over-eager litter warden.
Mr Marsh’s daughter accused enforcement officers of “unreasonably harassing and terrorising older people” amid claims they had been seen approaching other elderly people over similar mishaps.
Pensioner Mr Marsh was out walking in windy seaside town Skegness when he decided to sit down for a rest, and a leaf suddenly blew into his mouth, threatening to cause him to choke. He was then approached by two officers, one of whom said he had been seen spitting on the floor.
“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,” he said, as reported by the Daily Mail.
After being told by one of the wardens he had been seen spitting on the floor, Mr Marsh said he told the officer he was being a ‘silly boy’.
“It was all unnecessary and all out of proportion,” said Mr Marsh. “It was something that could have happened to anyone. It’s left me anxious about going out.”
Mr Marsh, a father of two and grandfather of one was issued with a £250 fine. He eventually paid £150 after the fine was reduced on appeal.
His daughter Jean Fitzpatrick posted on Facebook about the incident, and received replies from people claiming they had seen similar incidents. She added that her dad and wife Anne had seen officers targeting other elderly people since the incident in February.
“Recently dad who has walking difficulties but does his best to walk every day around the boating lake, inhaled a small leaf that made him choke,” wrote Ms Fitzpatrick. “Dad has severe asthma and a heart condition, he managed to cough up the leaf and spit it out.
She said her parents, who live in Skegness, now “regularly watch these officers” and have seen them approach older people “many times” – even if something falls out of their pocket accidentally. She also said enforcement officers were “unreasonably harassing and terrorising older people”.
Councillor Adrian Findley said he had receiving a number of complaints about similar ‘heavy-handed’ incidents in Skegness.
East Lindsey District Council said enforcement teams, who work on behalf of the authority, would “only approach individuals who have been seen committing environmental crime offences”.
The council said it closely monitored enforcement actions and patrols were “not targeted at any specific demographic” and are “not discriminatory”.
Councillor Martin Foster, the portfolio holder for operational services, said: “The council closely monitors data on enforcement actions, including those relating to such things as littering, fly-tipping and dog-related offences.
“Our ultimate aim is to invoke a change in behaviour and stop people committing environmental crime so residents and visitors can enjoy a clean and safe environment.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
