Elderly man fined £250 for spitting out leaf that blew into his mouth

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An 86-year-old man, who received a hefty fine after accidentally swallowing a leaf and then spitting it out, is now asking for more common sense when enforcing littering laws.

Roy Marsh received a £250 fine (about $330) earlier this year in Skegness, Lincolnshire, after being accused of spitting on the ground. He appealed the fine, and it was lowered to £150 (around $176), which he then paid.

Marsh explained that the incident occurred in February while he was taking a break in the South Parade Car Park. A strong gust of wind blew a reed into his mouth, which he immediately spat out. He was then approached by two parking enforcement officers who accused him of spitting on the floor.

Roy Marsh was fined $300+ for spitting out a leaf

Fine sparks backlash over “heavy-handed” litter rules

So, I tried to explain to them what went down, but they still hit me with the fine. Honestly, it felt totally over the top and unnecessary. Like, seriously, it was way more than it needed to be, as I told the BBC.

The issue came to light when local councilor Adrian Findley reported receiving several complaints from Skegness residents. They claimed enforcement officers were treating them unfairly, and Findley worried this could deter tourists from visiting the town again.

Findley believes officials are being overly strict and should use their judgment, especially when something seems like a mistake. He feels it’s unreasonable to expect seniors to retrieve litter in poor weather and suggests they should simply be given an opportunity to explain or fix the problem.

East Lindsey District Council, responsible for enforcing environmental rules, stated that their officers only contact people caught breaking those rules. They also confirmed that patrols aren’t focused on any particular group of people.

I was glad to hear the council say they’re really keeping an eye on how things are being enforced. It sounds like they’re more interested in getting people to change how they’re acting, rather than just handing out punishments to locals or tourists. That feels like a much better approach, honestly.

Councillor Martin Foster, who oversees operational services, explained that the council wants to keep public areas clean and safe for all residents, and will enforce environmental rules consistently.

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2025-12-13 21:18