A pensioner suffering with mobility issues has been hit with a £300 fine after an apple core “accidentally” fell to the ground and rolled underneath a car in Welling.
David Down, 84, who lives in Shooters Hill with his wife Pam, was slapped with a Fixed Penalty Notice at around 11.56am on Wednesday, August 12.
His daughter Natalie said her father, who has mobility and speech difficulties, was unable to bend down to retrieve the apple core or properly explain to the officer what had happened in the car park.
Natalie told the News Shopper: “He suffers from mobility and speech difficulties so couldn't pick it up in time or explain fully to the officer what had happened.
READ MORE: Residents wake up to playground bulldozed into ‘pile of rubble without warning'
“He has been left shocked and worried after being issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice and as a pensioner is worried about how he will be able to afford to pay the fine.
“I appreciate we need to keep the streets clean and free of rubbish, but this response seems completely disproportionate to what happened.”
Natalie said her dad could not bend down to retrieve it because of his mobility difficulties, while he was also unable to communicate clearly with the enforcement officer because of his speech difficulties.
Pam, David’s wife, said her father had been meeting people for coffee at Morrisons near Welling High Street when the apple core fell to the floor and rolled underneath a car.
She told the News Shopper: “This is for a really small apple core. He used to be very active and play golf and table tennis, but he can't do it now.
“The reason I'm speaking is because his speech is bad. He couldn't have bent down to pick it up. The guy didn't give him the option to pick it up.
“Also, he couldn't have moved the car. He's 84, so we were a bit shocked.”
Natalie has now submitted a complaint to Bexley Council, which the family says has confirmed it has been received.
The family expects to hear the outcome within around 10 days.
If the complaint is unsuccessful, David has 14 days to pay the fine at the reduced rate of £150, rather than £300.
Pam said the family accepted that littering should not happen but believed the circumstances should have been taken into consideration.
Pam said: “Most people we've spoken to have said that, okay, it's on the floor and it shouldn't have happened. But a £300 fine is not proportionate.”
A spokesperson for Bexley Council said: "We do not issue a fixed penalty notice (FPN) for littering unless we have evidence that this offence has taken place.
"There is a process in place by which persons issued with a FPN can make representations and Mr Down has made a submission which will be considered in the usual way.
"While this process is taking place, it would not be appropriate to comment further."
Share