Bristol man convicted after mistaken identity cigarette fine

A man has received a criminal conviction for not paying a fine for dropping a cigarette butt, even though he says he has never smoked.

Lucas Harbourd, 49, was fined for littering in Bristol city centre in December 2024, but said he only found out in July when he received a court letter which said he owed £458.

He later challenged the fine, with 3GS, the company contracted to hand out fines on behalf of Bristol City Council, admitting it was a case of mistaken identity. But he said he still has to overturn the conviction which he believes could impact his career.

The council and 3GS did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment.

3GS enforcement officers can issue fines for environmental offences, including littering, graffiti, fly-tipping, leaving dog mess on the street and drinking alcohol where it is banned.

The private company, which has been contracted by the council since 2019, gives out, on average, about 450 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) in the city every month.

A freedom of information request, external revealed that 97% of fines between 2023 and 2025 were for littering.

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) previously revealed the vast majority of littering fines involved cigarette butts, which could land a person with a £175 fine.