Man was fined £80 for putting his cigarette stub in an out-of-use bin rather than the floor
- Joshua Douglas was fined for putting a cigarette butt in a bin in Maidstone
- He was fined £80 by a litter warden because it was out of use
- The smoker filmed the incident and it has since been watched 50k times
- Maidstone Borough Council would not comment on the fine
Joshua Douglas was fined £80 by a Maidstone Borough Council worker for putting his cigarette in the bin
A fuming smoker claims he was hit with an £80 littering fine - for putting a cigarette in the 'wrong' bin.
Joshua Douglas, 25, was whacked with the on-the-spot fine for putting his extinguished cigarette in an out-of-use bin, instead of chucking it on the floor, in Maidstone, Kent.
Joshua later confronted the litter warden, asking why he had been fined, while filming incident.
He then uploaded the video to Facebook, where it has been viewed more than 50,000 times.
Alongside the video, Joshua wrote on Facebook: 'When I got fined this morning the top ashtray was open and still I got a £80 fine for putting a butt in a council bin, that had no sign saying out of use and the ashtray was not covered.
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Joshua confronted the council worker (above) who fined him and uploaded it to Facebook. It has since been viewed around 50,000 times
'It was outside my work, the warden followed me in and wouldn't leave.
'Got the police and either had to give my details or be detained.
'When I got fined, the top was completely open with butts and rubbish inside.
'No sign saying not in use.
'I can not comprehend how that is littering in any way or why they would actually take it this far (sic).'
The bin was 'out of service', because scaffolding prevented council workers from emptying it.
In the video, Joshua says: 'Maidstone Council have blocked off the bin next to the bus stops so all the busmen that come to smoke their fags no long have a bin to put it in.'
He then walks over to confront the litter warden who had fined him.
The smoker can be heard telling the warden: 'You close the bin off and then you just stand there.
'What did you fine me for anyway?
'You fined me for putting a fag in a bin.'
During the tense minute-long exchange, the litter warden repeatedly asks Joshua to stop filming, insisting he was just doing his job and threatens to call the police.
The bin where Joshua disposed of his cigarette. A Maidstone Borough Council spokesman said the bin was sealed earlier this week due to scaffolding obstructing its use
In the closing part of the film, Joshua says: 'Maidstone Council have closed the bin off and now you are going to stand here guarding that bin.
'Everyone needs to know what Maidstone Council do.'
The ashtray has since been covered up and signs have been put up warning people not to use it.
A Maidstone Borough Council spokesman said they would not comment on individual cases, adding: 'We can confirm that a litter bin in the High Street near TSB bank was sealed earlier this week due to scaffolding obstructing its use and MBC operatives being unable to empty it.
'Signs have been added to the bin directing people to place their litter in any of the nearby bins, of which there are several.
'Littering in the borough is taken seriously by our Enforcement Officers and all incidents are recorded by staff bodycam equipment.'
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