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Stephen Cook |
POLICE SWOOP ON SMOKER IN ROW OVER FAG
Warden calls in cops over refusal to accept discarded butt fine
THE row over Islington’s smoking litter wardens erupted again this week after police arrived with lights flashing and sirens blaring to apprehend a man who stubbed his cigarette out on the pavement outside Archway Tube station.
Language teacher Stephen Cook had refused to “recognise” the red-uniformed environment warden who attempted to issue a £50 fine yesterday (Thursday). Instead, Mr Cook walked off to catch a No 210 bus.
Minutes later, as he sat on a stationary bus a police car raced to the scene.
The council wardens have already been accused of playing “Big Brother” by legal advisor David Leigh who, as the Tribune reported last week, was fined £50 for stubbing a cigarette out on the pavement outside Angel Tube station.
Yesterday, Mr Cook, 49, had been handing out leaflets against Tube privatisation when he was approached by a warden. “I had just stubbed out a cigarette on the floor,” he said. “I admit it’s not the greenest thing to do but there were no ashtrays available. And there were seven or eight people around me who were doing the very same thing.
“I was accused of depositing litter. I said: ‘I’m sorry, you are not a police officer. I refuse to recognise your authority. I’m going away now’.” Mr Cook was followed to the bus stop by the warden, who called police on his mobile phone.
“The whole thing was surreal,” said Mr Cook. “The next thing was the arrival of police with lights flashing and siren sounding.
“A police officer got on the bus and I simply said: ‘I’m the dangerous criminal you want.’ I think even the police were embarrassed.”
Mr Cook was taken off the bus and then accepted the document from the wardens ordering him to pay the fine. But Mr Cook, from Marquis Road, Finsbury Park, says he has no intention of paying. He added: “I admit I was wrong to stub the fag out on the pavement. But so are thousands of others. The answer is to install more cigarette bins.”
The Local Ombudsman has agreed to investigate after claims by Mr Leigh, following his £50 fine, that the council may have broken the law by not advertising the ban on smoking litter sufficiently.
Islington Council’s Labour group leader Councillor Catherine West has described Town Hall smoking policies as “bonkers”.
But the council argues that the public support the warden scheme. |
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Your comments:
Strange how there is never a shortage of police to deal with dishing out fines. When our motorbike was stolen, we were told the police was short staffed and could we make our way to the police station to report the crime.
Caroline Smith |
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