Woman fined £100 for feeding pigeons in Harrow

Woman Fined for Feeding Pigeons in Northwest London

A woman was arrested and fined £100 for feeding pigeons in northwest London. Local council enforcement officers stopped her for allegedly breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) related to bird feeding.

The PSPO is enforced in several councils across England to manage excessive pigeon feeding in town centers. Harrow Council issued the fine to the unnamed woman, who is in her 40s, for “throwing bread on the floor.”

On Wednesday, Metropolitan Police officers arrested the woman after she did not provide her details, including her name, age, and address. Footage from a passerby shows the woman in handcuffs, appearing upset, surrounded by several people on Wealdstone High Street.

Details of the Incident

In the video, one female officer held the woman’s arm while another confiscated items from her pockets, placing them in a plastic police bag. A note described the offence as “throwing bread on the floor” and stated the £100 fine from Harrow Council.

The person filming the arrest can be heard saying, “The lady is getting arrested for feeding the pigeons.” He added, “That’s not a reason to have the woman in handcuffs.”

The video also shows the woman being taken to a police van, but she was later released. Council officers provided her with a note detailing the offence and stating that she had been warned but chose not to comply, leading to police involvement.

Consequences of the Fine

The note indicated that the woman received a fixed penalty notice of £100, which must be paid within 28 days to avoid prosecution. Failure to pay could result in being summoned to appear in Magistrate court.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police stated that around 14:30 on Wednesday, 7 January, officers were approached by local council enforcement officers regarding an anti-social behaviour incident on Wealdstone High Street, Harrow. The woman was asked multiple times to provide her name and address for the fixed penalty notice.

After about 20 minutes of discussion, she repeatedly refused to give her personal details. She was arrested on suspicion of breaching Section 50 of the Police Reform Act, which requires individuals to provide their name and address when requested by police. Her details were later obtained, and she was de-arrested and dealt with by council officers.

Statement from Harrow Council

A spokesperson for Harrow Council commented on the incident, stating, “There was a breach of the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) relating to bird feeding. The individual refused to provide their details, which is an offence, and also refused to stop feeding pigeons when asked.”

They added, “Our PSPO is in place to help keep our streets clean and safe for everyone, and anyone found breaching these faces a £100 fixed penalty notice.”