The owner of a vehicle has been ordered to pay more than £800 after litter was thrown from his car.

The man was penalised by Medway magistrates despite not being the person who actually committed the offence.

A police community support officer spotted a female driver throwing an energy drink can out of the window as she travelled along Abbey Road in Strood on May 20.

But Neil Smith, 39, of Leybourne Road, Strood, refused to give details of the woman and ended up taking the blame.

Medway Council's environmental enforcement team issued a legal notice to him as the registered keeper of the car requesting who the driver was on May 20.

Smith, during a telephone conversation, admitted he knew who she was, but did not provide her details and the case was taken to court.

He denied failing to comply with a notice relating to a littering offence at Medway Magistrates' Court on December 12, but failed to attend his trial and the case against him was proven in his absence.

He was fined £300 and ordered to pay £500 costs and a £32 victim surcharge, totalling £832.

Cllr Jane Chitty, who is in charge of enforcement, said: "Littering, and hindering a littering investigation, is completely unacceptable.

"As the registered keeper of the vehicle this gentleman failed to co-operate with our investigation and was prosecuted.

"We all have a responsibility to help keep Medway clean and tidy."

• To report litter visit www.medway.gov.uk/reportlitter

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