Steve Jones was hundreds of miles away in Maidstone arranging family funeral at time of alleged offence
A non-smoker was convicted at a magistrates court after Manchester city council accused him of dropping a cigarette butt in the city centre – even though he was hundreds of miles away, arranging a family funeral at the time.
Steve Jones, a 53-year-old teacher, lives 200 miles away in Teddington, Greater London, has only been to Manchester three times, and doesn’t smoke.
He told the council it was a case of mistaken identity and he had not dropped any litter, but the prosecution went ahead regardless in his absence, and he received a collection order in the post for £433, which included a fine and costs.
In July, he was sent a pack of evidence by Manchester city council, including a letter that said: “You have been charged with an offence of dropping litter”, and that a single justice procedure notice had been issued by the local authority in March.
