UK man faces nearly Rs 3 lakh penalty after tearing up parking ticket and throwing it at female warden

A parking penalty that could have been a relatively minor expense ended up costing a 58-year-old man in the UK nearly Rs 3 lakh after he tore up his ticket and threw it at a traffic warden. Stephen Lang, from Camborne, Cornwall, was initially penalised for parking outside a marked bay. However, his decision to throw the ticket at a female enforcement officer led to a littering case, prosecution and a much larger bill.

According to The Metro, the incident took place at Exchequer Quay car park in Penryn, Cornwall. Lang removed the parking ticket from his windscreen and threw it at the officer before walking away. He returned moments later as the officer picked up the ticket and attempted to put it back on his vehicle.

Lang then removed the ticket again, crumpled it and threw it towards the officer. The incident was captured on the officer's body-worn camera and the car park's CCTV system.


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How the fine ended up costing Rs 3 lakh

Cornwall Council said Lang was initially found guilty of littering on November 20, 2025. He was issued a £250 (approximately Rs 31,733) Fixed Penalty Notice for littering but failed to pay it, despite receiving a reminder and a warning that the matter could be referred for prosecution.

The case was subsequently heard at Truro Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Lang did not attend the hearing, and the court found him guilty in his absence.

According to The Metro, the court ordered him to pay a £250 fine (approximately Rs 31,733), £1,920.90 in legal costs (approximately Rs 2.43 lakh) and a £100 victim surcharge (approximately Rs 12,693).

The combined amount came to £2,270.90, or approximately Rs 2.87 lakh, turning the original parking-related incident into a far more expensive legal ordeal.

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Council warns against littering and abuse of officers

Cllr Thalia Marrington, Cornwall's cabinet member for community safety and public health, condemned the behaviour and stressed that enforcement officers should not face abuse while carrying out their duties.

“It is both unacceptable to litter and to be aggressive to an officer doing her job. We will not tolerate any abuse towards our officers,” she said.

Lang's case highlights how an incident involving a parking ticket can lead to substantially higher costs when it escalates into a separate offence and prosecution.