A Grimsby man has been fined over £500 for breaching a Public Space protection Order (PSPO) in North East Lincolnshire.
Andrew Billingham, 60, was found guilty of cycling through Victoria Street in Grimsby on 24 March 2023, breaching the PSPO that has been in place since July 2019.
Local Authorities were granted powers to introduce PSPOs in 2014 through section 59 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These provide discretionary powers to deal with nuisances or problems which harm the local community’s quality of life.
An order is intended to ensure that people can use and enjoy public spaces, living safely from anti-social behaviour. An order will specify an area where activities are taking place that are detrimental to the quality of life of those in the area and can impose conditions and restrictions on people using the specified area.
Breaking an order is a criminal offence, which can result in a fixed penalty notice (FPN) of £100 or prosecution. If prosecuted, an individual could be fined up to £1,000.
North East Lincolnshire Council enforcement officers spotted Mr. Billingham riding his pedal bike through the street before approaching him and issuing him with an FPN.
The case was later brought to Grimsby Magistrates Court after Mr. Billingham refused to pay the fine and had his appeal refused, claiming he had dismounted the bike before entering Victoria Street.
A District Judge found him guilty at Grimsby Magistrates Court on 6 February 2024, issuing him with a number of charges totalling £530. He was fined £200 for the offence, ordered to pay costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £80.
In 2023, 85 people were fined for cycling in prohibited areas by enforcement teams who are responsible for other offences across the borough such as littering and dog fouling.
Councillor Ron Shepherd, Portfolio Holder for Safer and Stronger Environments, said: “This is a great result for our enforcement teams.
“The PSPOs are invaluable for helping to reduce Antisocial Behaviour across North East Lincolnshire and those that breach them need to know that it’s not acceptable.”
He added: “It’s important that people understand the rules across North East Lincolnshire and adhere to them. Our Council plan advocates a zero-tolerance policy and we constantly review how we deliver our enforcement to make sure we can effectively tackle any issues.”
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