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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
National
Emily-Jane Heap & Katie Weston

Man detained by police and hit with £100 fine for catcalling woman in street in UK first

A man is understood to have become one of the first in England and Wales to be fined for catcalling a woman in the street.

Enforcement officers witnessed a woman being harassed in Ilford town centre, East London as part of an undercover operation on December 16, and detained the man responsible.

The offender was ordered to pay a £100 fixed penalty notice within 28 days, or go to court and face a potential prison sentence.

The fee was handed to the offender using the local council's Public Space Protection Order (PSPO), which was brought in to enforce against catcalling and harassment.

Enforcement officers witnessed a woman being harassed as part of an undercover police operation (file photo) (Getty Images/Cavan Images RF)

As part of the operation, officers also arrested a male for domestic violence-related assault and possessing a weapon.

Redbridge Council leader Jas Athwal said: "We are the first council in London using our Public Space Protection Order to enforce against catcalling and harassment.

"We're supporting covert police operations in the borough to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice.

"This fine is a strong start and will serve as a statement of intent. We will not tolerate harassment of women and girls and will target those men who do not heed this warning.

The council is thought to be the first in England and Wales to issue a fine for catcalling (file photo) (Getty Images)

"We're reclaiming our streets for our local communities and ending the culture of misogyny that starts with harassment and escalates to violence."

Councillor Khayer Chowdhury added: "This is a working partnership between Redbridge Council and the Met Police to tackle the on-street harassment of women and girls - a commitment we made as part of our response to the Redbridge Crime Commission.

"Women and girls have an absolute right to walk our streets without being catcalled and harassed by men and working with the Police, and we are showing zero tolerance."

Introduced in 2014, PSPOs let local authorities ban behaviour deemed to have a “detrimental effect” on “the local community’s quality of life”.

The offender was ordered to pay a £100 fixed penalty notice within 28 days or go to court (file photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The powers are contained in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

Redbridge Council stated on its website: "We use PSPOs to control behaviour that is either having, or is likely to have a harmful effect on a local community's quality of life."

On failing to comply, it adds: "Authorised council officers, police officers, PCSOs and others authorised by the council, may issue a £100 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) to anyone who breaches the PSPO.

"If they do not pay the fine or we decide to pursue this matter through the Court instead, this can result in a fine up to £1000.

PSPOs have to be reviewed every three years.

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