Elderly man fined for spitting out leaf that blew into his mouth: 'I am anxious about going out'

A man in the UK was shocked when he was given a ticket for spitting out a leaf that flew into his mouth during a walk. The incident happened in Skegness, Lincolnshire, earlier this year. Roy Marsh, 86, was fined £250 by two wardens who told him that he was being reprimanded for spitting in public. Marsh was out on a walk and decided to take a break. He sat down while the wind blew pretty fiercely. At the moment, a leaf blew into his mouth, and he immediately spat it out. He got up, and just as he started to leave, two enforcement officers came up to him and told him he had been seen spitting on the floor. Marsh did not think they were being serious, and claims he told one of them that he was being a "silly boy".

"It was all unnecessary and all out of proportion," Marsh added. He was asked to pay a fine of £250 for spitting in public. The 86-year-old appealed against it, after which it was reduced to £150. According to Marsh and his wife, the officers were rude and shouted, "Hey, you, we've got reason to believe you've been spitting." He is still not sure "where they appeared from." His wife said, "'This really upset him. We've watched these officers approach many older people since. It's like they are bullies."

A leaf hit him in the face again

Marsh says the incident has shocked him so much that now he is "anxious about going out." The other day, he said he was out for a TV interview, and it was windy again. "A leaf smacked me right in the face while we were walking, so it could have happened again today." In fact, it happened to him again a few weeks ago when some officers came up to him. He told them that he had taken a tissue from his pocket and tucked it inside his glove, and had not dropped anything.