Officer questions man about his prostate after catching him weeing in layby

Officer questions man about his prostate after catching him weeing in layby He was issued with a £200 fine despite explaining his health issues A man with a prostate disorder says he was left embarrassed after a council worker asked repeated questions about his health when she caught him having a wee in a lay-by. Lee East said he felt like he was being "ridiculed" when a woman filmed him and issued him with a £200 fine for ‘littering’ as he had a wee by the A12. The 51-year-old has an enlarged prostate and bladder issues - so has to urinate more frequently than most people. Lee was leaning against the front passenger door of his van to take a discrete wee when a council contractor approached him. Introducing herself as ‘Anna’, she said 'the camera has been on and recording' and said he could be given a £2,500 fine at court. Lee told her he has a prostate problem, to which Anna, who works for private enforcement company Waste Investigations Support and Enforcement, replied “it seems to be quite common with men, prostate problems,” adding “it’s obviously something women don’t suffer from,” before printing him a £200 fine. The professional driver of 30 years tried to explain his health issues, but the council worker stopped him and said, “I just can’t believe how common it is with men, probably out of 10, potentially five or six, minimum, prostate problems.” She then asked which medication the van driver is taking and how many he is taking. Lee has since put a portable toilet in the back of his van as he’s so worried about being caught out. Lee has since had the fine rescinded following appeal – though Colchester City Council’s waste contractor says it will not rescind a second offence. He said: “It just made me feel disgusting, very very angry. It was quite embarrassing for me, I’m quite a respectful law-abiding citizen, to be caught short in that situation in the first place. “But to have a female officer questioning you like that – what I’ve been through, all the testing and everything like that, it was really not very pleasant at all. To feel like you’re being ridiculed, it’s absolutely disgusting.” A Colchester City Council spokesperson said : “Colchester City Council takes concerns about public hygiene, environmental protection and anti-social behaviour seriously across all parts of the district, including roadside lay-bys along the A12. The council does not ‘target’ specific groups but responds to complaints and known hotspots where there are persistent issues such as littering, fly-tipping or public urination. “Lay-bys can, unfortunately, become locations where this type of behaviour occurs, and our officers carry out proportionate enforcement where necessary to maintain public health and environmental standards. Our approach is focused on behaviour, not individuals or professions. Enforcement action is taken against anyone committing an offence, regardless of whether they are a lorry driver, a motorist or any other road user. Public urination is an offence and can pose health risks, create unpleasant conditions for other users, and damage the local environment. Our officers act where there is clear evidence of a breach. “We recognise that lorry drivers and other road users require appropriate facilities during long journeys. However, the provision of major roadside service areas and strategic rest facilities on trunk roads such as the A12 is primarily a matter for National Highways, the local highways authority, and private operators, rather than the City Council. “Within the Colchester area there are service stations and other amenities, but these are not controlled by the council. Any income from Fixed Penalty Notices is strictly regulated and is not a revenue-generating exercise. It helps cover the costs of enforcement and wider environmental services, such as street cleansing and tackling fly-tipping. “Council enforcement officers are salaried employees and do not receive commission or incentives for issuing fines. We fully understand the challenges faced by the logistics sector, particularly around rest provision, and we support constructive discussions with partners about improved facilities at a national and regional level. “However, a lack of facilities does not make illegal activity acceptable. Our responsibility is to balance the needs of all road users with the expectations of residents and communities, who rightly expect clean, safe and well-managed public spaces. “We will continue to take a fair, proportionate and evidence-led approach, issuing advice where appropriate and enforcement action where necessary.”