Woman's dumped parking ticket led to littering prosecution in Limerick

A CHARLEVILLE woman was not feeling fine after a parking ticket led to her being prosecuted in court for a littering offence, writes Donal O’Regan.

Lindsey Stokes, of Orchard Heights, Charleville was before Kilmallock Court after Limerick City and County Council initiated proceedings against her under the provisions of the Waste Management Act.

A litter warden told the court that on July 2, 2018 several bags of domestic waste were left beside the bottle bank in Bruree – sparking an investigation.

The bags were seized and examined and material linked to the defendant were found.

“I found parking fines issued by Cork County Council to Ms Stokes in one of the seven bags,” said the warden.

“In July, I wrote to Ms Stokes and asked her to explain how her rubbish came to be in these bags. There was no reply. I wrote to her again in September. There was no reply,” said the litter warden.

Solicitor Will Leahy, representing the local authority,  told the court the council’s costs in the case totalled €578.66.

After formally convicting Ms Stokes of the charge before the court, Judge Marian O’Leary ordered that she pay the council’s costs and expenses.

She also imposed a €400 fine – giving the defendant a number of months to pay.