University student fined £80 for dropping matchstick on Oxford pavement



An Oxford University student has been fined £80 by a street sweeper for dropping a matchstick on the pavement.
Smoker Demetrios Samouris, who was stopped while shopping with his girlfriend in the city centre, described the fine as 'quite harsh'.
The 22-year-old said: 'It was only a match. But I guess all rubbish has to be treated equally, whether it is a matchstick or a sandwich wrapper.'
Demetrios Samouris
Oxford University student Demetrios Samouris, right, is confronted by Oxford environmental enforcement officer Natalie Hughes, left,  and fined £80 for dropping a matchstick on the pavement while shopping with his girlfriend
However, environmental enforcement officer Natalie Hughes explained: 'People just don't think what they are doing is wrong. That is what we are trying to address.'
The student fell victim to the council's 'zero tolerance' crackdown on clearing up Oxford's litter-strewn streets.
The street wardens, aided by Police Community Support Officers and enforcement officers are in the middle of a campaign to clear litter off Oxford's streets as part of the city council's 'Cleaner Greener Oxford' initiative.
Speaking after being handed the fixed penalty, Mr Samouris described the fine as harsh but he said he understood why tickets were being issued to litterbugs.
'It is a bit irritating because £80 pounds is a lot of money. Even though it drops to £55 pounds if I pay it within 14 days, I can't really afford it.
'It's quite harsh. It was only a match. I try not to drop cigarettes and would never leave other rubbish on the street.
'But I can't really be that angry. I do understand what they are doing and I guess all rubbish has to be treated equally, whether it is a matchstick or a sandwich wrapper.'