UK woman shocked by fine for cigarette littering in place she had never visited

A woman in the UK was left perplexed after receiving a fine for allegedly littering in a village nearly 300 kilometres from her home—a place she hasn’t visited in over 10 years. Natalie Walton, who lives in Staffordshire, was issued a fixed penalty notice (FPN) accusing her of dropping a cigarette in Swanscombe, Kent, despite being a non-smoker.
The notice, sent to Walton’s parents’ home in Gravesend, Kent, claimed a Dartford council officer had witnessed her committing the offence on October 29. The alleged act was reportedly captured on a body-worn camera, and Walton was instructed to pay a £75 ( ₹8,082) fine or appeal it.
The notice warned that failure to comply could result in court proceedings, where a conviction could lead to a fine of up to £2,500 ( ₹2,69,410). However, Walton, who had not been to Kent in months, was adamant that she was wrongly accused.
(Also read: UK-based Indian woman shocked as HR asks about marriage plans: ‘Is this still happening?’)
“I had not been to Kent for months. Dartford council were trying to fine me £75 for something I was not even there to do,” Walton told KentOnline. “It’s absurd because I don’t smoke and haven’t been to the address they claim I was at.”
Walton described the experience as “bizarre” and speculated her identity might have been stolen or that the council’s security measures were flawed. Determined to clear her name, she provided evidence, including bank transactions proving she was shopping in Staffordshire at the time of the alleged offence.
After reviewing the evidence, Dartford Council cancelled the FPN, admitting Walton was not the person seen in the footage. The council revealed the real offender had provided Walton’s details to enforcement officers.
(Also read: Rare first edition of Harry Potter book fetches over ₹38 lakh at UK auction)
Although relieved that the fine was revoked, Walton expressed frustration over the ordeal. “When I saw the email, I was relieved and felt so much less stressed, but I still have no idea how they thought it was me,” she said.
With her wedding just two weeks away, Walton said the incident had caused undue stress. Meanwhile, Dartford Council stated they are continuing their investigation to identify the real offender but have yet to provide a photo of the individual in question.