A LLANDOVERY man has been ordered to pay more than £570 for dropping a fag-butt on the floor.

Mathew James Abson of Stone Street was ordered to pay a fine of £200 for dropping his cigarette, £100 for failing to provide details to an officer, costs of £258.18 and a victim surcharge of £20.

The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council.

The case against the 35-year-old was proven by Carmarthen Magistrates in his absence.

Magistrates heard that council enforcement officers were on patrol in Rhosmaen Street, Llandeilo, in May when Abson was seen dropping a butt on the floor.

When the officers approached him Abson was obstructive and refused to accept a fixed penalty notice or give his details and drove off.

Officers subsequently identified the accused as Abson and wrote to him offering the chance to accept a fixed penalty notice, which he refused to accept and elected to have the matter heard at court.

Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Councillor Jim Jones said: “Dropping litter is against the law and dropping a cigarette end is no different from throwing away any other sort of litter.

“Cigarette ends make an area look untidy and they are difficult and costly to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement.”