Mum fined £150 for littering at Sainsbury's over kale leaf left in trolley

Mum fined £150 for littering at Sainsbury's over kale leaf left in trolley Monica Serro collecting much-needed food parcels from local supermarkets when she was slapped with the fine A mum was fined £150 for dropping a kale leaf in a trolley while she was collecting food for vulnerable people. Monica Serro, 42, was loading her Olio food collection in Sainsbury's car park in Arnold, Nottingham, when an enforcement officer claimed she was littering. She had spent the day collecting much-needed food parcels from local supermarkets, which she then offers for free from her home to those in need. The welfare officer had just taken her trolley back when a large kale leaf had become wedged between the metal frame on Thursday (June 11). It was then that an enforcement officer - working for Gedling Borough Council - marched up to her and confronted her about the loose kale. He claimed the leaf was food waste and handed Monica a £150 fine. The mum-of-one said: “I was collecting waste foods from supermarkets with the plan being that people then come and collect the food from my house. As a volunteer we collect the food and pass it on for free to the community. I was collecting food from Sainsbury’s, but we never know the amount we’re getting. "I went with my mum and the workers showed up with a big trolley full of food. They didn’t provide us with any bags, and it was full of veg and bread. It was raining and I was putting it in my mum's car without bags. I put the trolley back in the bay. "As I returned an officer from the council was there and he walked up to us and said, ‘you know you just littered, you left a wrapping paper in the trolley’. "I said, 'no I didn't'. He said it was illegal and was reaching for the device to print out a fine. I showed him it was a kale leaf left behind on a trolley. He said, 'yeah, that’s food waste, next time use a bin’. I was stunned. “The whole thing was ridiculous. You’re trying to reduce food waste and then you get told you’re adding to it. I didn’t notice it was on the trolley. My mum told him I was a volunteer collecting food for the community. He said if I refused to provide my details he would increase the fine. “I didn’t want to argue anymore, my mum was getting really upset with the whole situation. He gave me the fine and took the kale leaf and gave it me.” Monica immediately contacted the council, who eventually cancelled the fine on June 13 after several emails. But Monica still says she should not have been fined in the first place and branded the decision as "ridiculous". She added: “I noticed on the fine he put a different address down, not the Sainsbury’s car park, and the reason as I was fined was for throwing a cigarette to the floor. "He wanted to fine me for the kale leaf, but then it implies that I was throwing a cigarette butt. I disputed the fine and told the council asking them to look at the bodycam footage. “I got zero reply. For the ticket, they just sent me an email saying they saw the footage and said there was a technical issue with the footage and that I didn’t have to pay. “When he saw it was a kale leaf, he had to stand his ground. He was a young lad so I don’t know if he’s doing it for the first time. I’ve never heard of anyone being fined £150 for a kale leaf. I think he was fishing for tickets. "It’s a private parking and a trolley from Sainsbury’s. I don’t think it is illegal leaving a kale leaf in a trolley, he could have called my attention to it before but no. “It will make me a bit paranoid in the future. I suffer from anxiety so I was anxious for the rest of the day.” The council have since apologised to Monica for the blunder, saying there was a "technical error". In an email, the council complaints team said: "I have reviewed the body camera footage and evidence surrounding your fixed penalty notice and apologise for the communication error with the title of the offence. "This is due to a technical error, and I apologise for any distress this has caused. I have cancelled your fixed penalty notice on this occasion." A spokesperson for Gedling Borough Council said: "We have investigated the incident and agree that it was not a deliberate act of littering. "The fixed penalty notice issued by our contracted environmental enforcement agents was cancelled and the recipient was contacted on the 13th June to confirm this. We apologise for any distress caused." [Image text:] Sainsbury's Argos habitar- Tu STARBUCKS TIMPSON SSCOM