Cannock Chase Council said Gareth Haywood was given a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice for smoking in a vehicle used for business purposes.

He was then issued with a second £75 fine after being witnessed by the enforcement team from the local council for throwing the butt on the ground.

As a result of not paying the original fines, Haywood was prosecuted at Stafford Magistrates Court. He failed to attend the court and did not enter any plea. He was fined £200 for each offence and ordered to pay costs of £280 along with a victim surcharge of £20 – totalling £700.

Councillor Carl Bennett, environment portfolio leader, stated: ‘Cannock Chase Council takes all these matters very seriously. Enforcement Assistants conduct district-wide patrols and issue fixed penalty notices to anyone witnessed committing an offence of littering, allowing their dogs to foul or smoking in a smoke-free place. Payment of a fixed penalty notice discharges liability for the offence and the Council will always seek to prosecute in the event of non-payment. Those prosecuted can expect to face much a higher bill than the £75 Fixed Penalty that would be reduced to £50 if paid with 10 days.’