Smoker says he had a fit and can’t leave home after being fined for dropping butt
Melvyn Walker says he only lit up because of his anxiety at spending the last of his money on Lidl coffee.
A man who uses a mobility scooter to get around says he has suffered from stress and anxiety after being fined for dropping a cigarette butt.
Melvyn Walker, 49, insists he put the fag end on his motor but was given a £100 fine for littering.
He had sparked up a cigarette to help ease his anxiety after spending the last of his money on a jar of coffee at Lidl.
After finishing his cigarette and putting it on his scooter, he rode off to his home in Grimsby.
However, he believes he was tailed by two council enforcement officers in a white van who approached him to issue the on-the-spot fine.
He said: ‘I’d gone to Lidl to get a jar of coffee with the last of my money for the month.
‘As I was coming back home down Patrick Street on my mobility scooter, I noticed a car starting to follow me. I wanted to get home as quickly as possible and had lit a cigarette to help my anxiety.
‘When I got back I asked my neighbours to go and see whether the car had followed me home.
‘That’s when these two men got out the car and asked to talk to me. I was white as a ghost and shaking uncontrollably.
‘They gave me an on-the-spot fine for dropping a used cigarette, but I know I didn’t litter.
‘I often have a cigarette whilst on my mobility scooter and leave the cigarette end on there to put in a bin when I get home.’
He found the situation so distressing that it caused a number of medical issues and he’s only taken comfort in the ‘therapy’ of his dog Bear.
Mr Walker added: ‘I had a fit after everything. It got me that upset.
‘I chose to live on my own 12 years ago because of people intimidating me and following me like this. It just seemed so weird and out of character from members of the council.
‘You see all this fly-tipping and people leaving dog mess on the streets and they decide to follow me?
‘With being partially paralysed, having severe anxiety and other medical issues, this is the last thing I ever wanted to happen.
‘I try to be as independent as I can, but this makes me think twice about leaving the house now.’
North East Lincolnshire Council said they reviewed the wardens’ body worn cameras and found no concerns over their conduct.
MORE : Student fined £150 for ‘littering’ after feeding pigeon a piece of tortilla wrap
MORE : Council officer beaten with wooden mop pole for trying to issue litter fine
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