Harrow City Council has backed down after its environmental monitoring team claimed to have caught a five-year-old girl illegally littering and attempted to fine her €1,205, the police said. .
North West London Council sent a fine notice to the girl on November 20, stating that “a uniformed officer had witnessed her committing the offense of illegal dumping.” However, it was later learned that a package with his name on it was found on a street far from his home.
The girl’s father described the fact of imposing fines on children as “absurd” and attributed the packaging that ended up on the street to the “full community containers” in his apartment block, according to the British media.
The five-year-old received a “final reminder” letter addressed to her from the compliance team on December 5, advising her that they were “about to instruct the council’s legal team to commence legal proceedings” against her.
The letter also warned that a conviction “carries a maximum penalty of 2,500 pounds (about 3,000 euros).” The issue, however, was raised at a council cabinet meeting and the fine was cancelled.
When the issue was raised at a recent council cabinet meeting, cleaner streets portfolio holder and public safety councilor Pritesh Patel said: “Of course it is not the council’s official policy to fine children.” and promised to investigate the case.
Harrow Council’s leader councilor Paul Osborn said: “I would like to find a child who could afford to pay a £1,000 fine at the age of five.” “Obviously that is totally unacceptable and we will look into any such allegations,” he added.
