A FRESH row has erupted over a schoolboy fined for dropping a chip after it emerged litter enforcement officers trailed him to his school classroom when he refused to give his name.
A FRESH row has erupted over a schoolboy fined for dropping a chip after it emerged litter enforcement officers trailed him to his school classroom when he refused to give his name.
Jack Double was hit with a £50 fine on his lunch break from Chantry High School in Mallard Way after he threw a chip to a seagull.
He has refused to pay up and despite national media attention the council has said it will not write off the fine and told him to pay up or go to court.
A new twist in the saga came today when it emerged that Jack's headteacher Anne Rickwood has written to the council about what went on that day.
It is understood the school is concerned about the two litter enforcement officers entering school grounds and the manner in which they obtained Jack's name and address from staff.
A spokesman for Ipswich Borough Council defended the actions of the enforcement officers.
He said: “We have received a letter from the headteacher and we have responded.
“Our enforcement officers do have the right to enter school premises.
“It is an offence for anyone to refuse to give their name to an enforcement officer.”
The spokesman said the enforcement officers initially went to the school's reception before heading for a classroom.
“At no time did they demand any information. Information was volunteered,” the spokesman added.
Mrs Rickwood refused to comment on the contents of the letter to the council.
She said: “If I have any concerns with Ipswich Borough Council I deal with them but I would rather not make any comment.”
Jack's mother, Mandy Double, said she was angry about the way the enforcement officers got information on her son.
She said: “I'm very annoyed about this. Jack told me that the officers followed him up to his classroom, one on either side.”
Mrs Double remains defiant and is refusing to cough up the cash but if the row goes as far as court he could be fined as much as
£2,500.
A chip, a seagull and a big row in Ipswich - see Edblog at www.eveningstar.co.uk
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www.ipswich.gov.uk
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