In South Asian countries, tearing up paper and throwing it at someone may be offensive but is rarely seen as a serious offence. In the UK, the same act has just cost a man nearly Rs 3 lakh for ripping a parking ticket off his windscreen and hurling it at a traffic warden.
According to The Metro, Stephen Lang, 58, was first penalised for parking outside a marked bay. He then took the ticket off his windscreen and threw it at a female enforcement officer before walking away. Moments later, he came back as she picked up the ticket from the ground and tried to put it back on the vehicle.
-
Best Of NDTV World Summit 2026 | Defining Conversations, Big Ideas -
PM Modi Says 'Parasite' Congress Hurts 'Honest' Dissent Movements -
"Some Dreaming Of Disorder": PM Modi's Dig At Rahul Gandhi -
PM Modi Highlights India's Firsts: Fast Breeder Reactor, Hydrogen Train, Asian Games Medals -
"UN's Limits Clearly Visible": PM Modi Presses For 'New Solutions' At NDTV Summit -
"World That Relied On India's Brainpower Now Trusts Its Mindpower": PM Modi -
Non-Oil Trade With India Went Up 50% In 3 Years: UAE Minister At NDTV Summit -
"Some Dreaming Of Disorder": PM's "Failed Product Of Congress" Jibe At Rahul Gandhi -
'Viksit Bharat Not Just For Us': PM Modi's Top Quotes At NDTV World Summit -
Has Indian Cuisine Arrived At The Global Stage? What Vir Sanghvi Believes
Lang, from Camborne, Cornwall, took it off again, crumpled it up and threw it towards the officer. The incident at Exchequer Quay car park in Penryn, Cornwall, was captured on the officer's body-worn camera and the car park's CCTV.
Cornwall Council said Lang was initially found guilty of littering on November 20, 2025. He was issued with a 250 pounds Fixed Penalty Notice for littering, which he failed to pay despite a reminder and warning that the matter could be referred for prosecution.
Truro Magistrates' Court heard the case on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Lang did not attend the hearing, and the court found him guilty in his absence.
According to The Metro, the court ordered Lang to pay a 250-Pound fine (about Rs 31,733), 1,920.90 Pounds in legal costs (about Rs 2.43 lakh) and a 100-pound victim surcharge (about Rs 12,693), taking his total penalty to roughly Rs 2.87 lakh.
Cllr Thalia Marrington, Cornwall's cabinet member for community safety and public health, said: "It is both unacceptable to litter and to be aggressive to an officer doing her job. We will not tolerate any abuse towards our officers."
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world