A Bishop Auckland resident has been fined over £600 for dropping a cigarette in Durham and ignoring a penalty notice.
Colin Kingshott, 58, of Gainsborough Court, was prosecuted after refusing to pay a fixed penalty notice issued when a Durham County Council neighbourhood warden saw him litter.
The incident happened in February when a warden witnessed Kingshott throw a cigarette butt onto the ground outside Durham bus station.
Kingshott was caught littering outside Durham bus station in February. (Image: KRYSTAL TARA/THE NORTHERN ECHO CAMERA CLUB)
Kingshott claimed he was not in Durham city centre and said someone else must have given officers his details - supplying a copy of his identification to support his claim.
However, officers were able to verify the man's identity after comparing the identification he supplied with body-worn camera footage recorded at the scene.
When Kingshott failed to pay the fixed penalty notice, the matter was referred to the courts. After pleading not guilty, the case escalated to a hearing at Peterlee Magistrates' Court.
At the hearing, neighbourhood wardens presented evidence including body-worn camera footage from the scene and the identification provided by Kingshott himself.
Kingshott did not attend the trial, which went ahead in his absence despite his plea.
He was found guilty and handed a criminal conviction.
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The court ordered him to pay £632 in fines and costs and imposed a 28-day collection order.
Durham County Council said littering, including dropping cigarette ends, has a negative impact on local communities and warned that offenders could face prosecution if they fail to pay Fixed Penalty Notices.
The authority said its neighbourhood wardens take a zero-tolerance approach to environmental crime and will continue to take action against those caught littering.