Litter Scam ?

Threesheds

Not sure where else to ask this, so hope I have chosen the correct Forum.
Last month I was moving out of my flat in Tottenham, with help from Dad and a friend. Some folks where hanging around watching, and at one point something destined for the van went missing ?
Anyway, couple of days later, Mum receives prosecution notice for leaving a box on the street. Now we know without doubt that the box went in the bin. The initial contact includes forms to explain/dispute, which we complete, scan and return. No acknowledgement of this, but a second letter from another person with the same box arrives, but no forms this time.
The first person does not respond at all and the second won't engage but just keeps repeating threats of prosecution.
Mum & Dad travelled from Liverpool to try and discuss, but they would not speak to them.
Recently, I have discovered that this is a common occurrence for the area, no appeal process exists and the only form of dispute is not to pay the fine.
Sorry if this is long winded, but does anyone know if there is another route we can take ?

david29dpo

Yes, ignore it.

Threesheds

Considering ignoring, but unsure of the enforceability.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

OP is the letter from a local authority? Can you scan a copy and upload (with any personal info, including any refence numbers, removed)?

Threesheds

The letter with Kingdom at the top arrived first. This included forms to fill/scan/return which we did, but, received no response to this.

The second arrived a couple of days later. We have had nothing but negative response to our contact with this 2nd person.
Attachment doesn't appear to have worked.
Trying again.

Threesheds

Letters attached

rollingmoon

Quite a few local authorities employ these bottom feeders, you can read lots of similar stories here:

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/kingdom.co.uk

My local council also used them for a while, until the negative publicity made them re-think. I had a slightly different run in with them: putting my motorbike gear on ready to ride home, I dropped one of my foam earplugs. I picked it up and carried on. As I did so, these two creeps approached, telling me they had video evidence of me littering and demanding my details. I said nothing, carried on putting my lid on, fired the bike up and rode away. Presumably DVLA would have been only too happy to sell them my details, but clearly they didn't think it worth the effort as I never heard from the scumbags again.

OP - if you didn't do it, then they can have no evidence. Put those, and any further letters, in the shredder/fire/bottom of budgie cage (delete where applicable).

Threesheds

They have a picture of the box next to the bin with mums address on, however Mum lives 200 miles away and was on training course on the day in question.
I, 100% put the box in the bin and have witness.
Thanks for the link.

molerat

Threesheds said:

They have a picture of the box next to the bin with mums address on, however Mum lives 200 miles away and was on training course on the day in question.
I, 100% put the box in the bin and have witness.
Thanks for the link.

Make this a lesson learned.  NEVER NEVER EVER put anything identifiable in the waste, remove anything that can identify you and securely destroy it.  I remember a while back driving down the road following the recycling bin lorry with bits of paper flying out the back, I wonder how many of them could be traced back and result in a littering prosecution.

the_lunatic_is_in_my_head

If they had enough to prosecute you then they'd be issuing the fixed penalty notice now. 

They want you to answer the questions in the hope you incriminate yourself. 

They are not interested in you proving your innocence, only your guilt. 

The fact it says by you / your employees / family / visitors shows they don't know who commit the offence.

Personally I'd ignore.

If you get a FPN then you have a choice to pay or argue your case in court but as above I can't see why they'd be fishing if they had enough to go on.   

rollingmoon

molerat said:

I wonder how many of them could be traced back and result in a littering prosecution.

The answer to that is none, because they'd need evidence to secure a conviction. These vermin rely on their pseudo-legalese, threatening letters into scaring the unwary into incriminating themselves.