A woman was stunned to be hauled in front of court for littering outside a Greggs - more than 10 years ago.
Grace Firth received a letter on December 8, 2019, referring to an 'historical debt' - and this was the first she knew about it.
It turned out she had been convicted in her absence all the way back in August 2009, the BBC reports.
She told how she was munching on a snack from Greggs and the bag it came in ended up on the floor.
With her mail being sent to her mum's house, she didn't realise correspondence was being sent to her and she was fined £175 and ordered to pay £180 costs and a £15 victim surcharge, all in her absence.
Stockport student Grace, now aged 32, told Stockport Magistrates' Court: "Any mail for me was returned to sender or thrown away."
Such time had passed, the magistrates questioned whether an error had been made with the supposed date of the littering offence.
And yesterday - Tuesday, February 25 - magistrates decided to bin the original order for costs of £180.
They were happy to accept her explanation and also reduced her fine to £40.
Chairman Edward Tasker said: "You've been very fair and very honest.
"Thank you for being so honest and for turning up."
