Pensioner fined for littering after police knock cigarette from his hand while arresting shoplifters

Tom Kelly
UK Daily Mail
Monday, Dec 08, 2008

A grandfather was left humiliated after being handed a £60 litter fine when his cigarette was knocked out of his hand as he walked past a scuffle between police and shoplifters.

Lazaris Michael, 76, had taken a single puff before his smoke was sent flying as officers apprehended two girls who were trying to flee a branch of Boots.

But the pensioner did not have time to bend down and pick it up before a council warden pounced on him and hit him the fixed penalty for littering in front of a large crowd.

When he begged the council to show common sense and drop the case they responded by threatening him with an even bigger fine if he does not pay up.

Mr Michael, a retired restaurateur from Margate, Kent, said: 'I am well known by the residents of this town and this was utterly embarrassing.

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'I've been shopping on this street for half a century and this has never happened before. I never drop litter.
'I was on my way to pick up a prescription for my wife when two policemen were apprehending two girls and bringing them out of the shop.

Full article here