Katie Trudgill, 31, was slapped with an £80 fine after her children fed sausage roll crumbs to pigeons
A mother has been fined £80 after her children fed sausage roll crumbs to pigeons.
Katie Trudgill, 31, had taken her son and daughter shopping in Bradford city centre, West Yorkshire, when they stopped for a bite to eat.
After buying the baked goods for Amelia, five, and Finley, three, they sat on a bench to tuck into the pastry treats.
Miss Trudgill said: ‘They were eating them, everything was fine.
‘Then when they were finished, they had bits of pastry at the bottom of their bags and they tipped it out to the pigeons.’
She said a council official wearing a uniform and badge came over and gave her an £80 fine for littering.
‘I didn’t know anything about it, or else I would not have let my kids do it.
Miss Trudgill had taken her son Finely, three, and daughter Amelia, five, shopping in Bradford city centre when they stopped for a bite to eat
‘They were just tipping out to the pigeons, no rubbish was on the floor as I had taken the bags off them and put them in the bin.
‘When he came over, there was nothing on the floor, as there were that many pigeons.
‘On the receipt it says “I believe” rather than “I witnessed’ her doing it”.
She claims there are no signs saying that it is a littering offence.
The mother-of-two claims there was nothing left on the floor when the enforcement officer approached them
Bradford Council last month launched its Eyes campaign in partnership with the Tidy Britain Group in a bid to stop people littering in the city
‘Most people have said “go to court” and whatever, but I really don’t want to do that – I might just have to pay it.’
Bradford Council last month launched its Eyes campaign in partnership with the Tidy Britain Group in a bid to stop people littering around the district.
Fines of £80 can be handed to offenders as the council aims to tackle the problem of littering in Bradford.
The private firm 3GS has been brought in by Bradford Council in a bid to get tough on litterbugs.
In June, 3GS managing director Paul Buttivant confirmed bird feeding would incur a fine, but said his staff would be trained to discern an honest mistake from a deliberate crime.
At the time, he said: ‘If somebody drops something out of their jacket pocket, or their child drops something, officers would say, “Sorry, but you just dropped that”.’
In June, 3GS managing director Paul Buttivant confirmed bird feeding would incur a fine, but said his staff would be trained to discern an honest mistake from a deliberate crime
A Council spokesperson said: ‘Feeding pigeons in the city centre is discouraged as it can attract vermin and then makes the streets and buildings dirty.
‘It is classed as a littering offence.
‘People who receive a Fixed Penalty Notice for dropping litter can appeal the fine and there are comprehensive instructions on Bradford Council’s website about how to do this.’