A disabled woman says she was left traumatised after being fined £100 for littering in a Home Bargains car park.
Molly Davis, 25, from Strelley, had parked up in a disabled space outside the Home Bargains store in Ashgate Retail Park in Hucknall at around 2pm on Tuesday, March 1.
Ms Davis, who has a neurological disease and eats food through a tube, says she got out of her car when a coffee cup, which had been used by her brother earlier in the day, spilled and fell onto the ground.
She then went into the store to pick up some wipes and clean herself and the inside of her car.
It was then that she was approached by an enforcement officer for Ashfield District Council as she walked into the store.
"This lady approached me and said 'I need to speak with you'," she told Nottinghamshire Live.
"We left and she was stood outside, shouting at me. She said she was filming it to protect me and her - I didn't have a clue what she was talking about. I was in floods of tears.
"It was absolutely horrific. This woman was horrible, she was shouting at me and was right in my face even when I was crying so much.
"I've been really overwhelmed by what happened. I have a neurological disease, I'm not very well at all and this has really upset me so much. I've never known anything like it."
Another woman who had entered the store was also fined by another enforcement officer at the same time, according to Ms Davis.
Ms Davis said she was on her way to the dentist in Hucknall and says the ordeal made her late for her appointment, as she was still crying in her car when she parked up for her check-up.
She says she feels a £100 fine is unfair as she still has the coffee cup in question and had no intention of littering it.
She continued: "I think it's disgusting what Ashfield District Council have done. This lady told me to shut up - it was so intimidating.
"I've never felt so victimised in my entire life - it was traumatising."
Ashfield District Council say they investigate all claims regarding their enforcement officers and that the purpose of these officers is to help make the district a cleaner and better place to live.
Antonio Taylor, Community Safety Manager said: “All claims regarding the Enforcement Officers from residents will always be investigated.
“Our Enforcement Officers help make the District cleaner and safer. We will not tolerate people dropping litter in Ashfield. A litter bin not being close by is no excuse to drop or leave your litter, when it can be taken home and disposed of. We are proud of our parks, town centres and open spaces and after investing millions of pounds into them, we do not want a minority to ruin them.
“Now Ashfield Council has secured a huge £62.6m of Towns Fund investment, the future is bright and we have ambitious plans to transform our town centres. We are committed to making Ashfield a cleaner place to live, work and visit.”
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